Tesco has launched a new campaign called ‘Use Up Day’ which aims to help cash-strapped families spend less on their weekly shop by making the most of food they’ve already bought.
The retailer pointed to new estimates that show the average British family is wasting approximately £800 worth of edible food a year with staples including bread, bananas and milk topping the bill of most binned items.
A nationwide study by Tesco revealed three-quarters of UK households (77%) say they throw away unopened or unused food, more than a third (37%) doing so on at least a monthly basis and a staggering half a million people are throwing away food they forgot to eat or never opened on a daily basis.
The campaign comes amid a cost of living crisis in the UK with many households exploring ways to save. Tesco’s research found that three in five (61%) are now planning to shop more carefully and only buy what they need. While many (45%) want to take steps to reduce the amount of food they waste at home.
Tesco has teamed up with Unilever-owned brand Hellmann’s to create the ‘Use Up Day’ campaign, encouraging the nation to – once a week – cook a meal using up food they already have in their kitchen.
A recent study by Hellmann’s found that the average family could reduce the amount of food thrown away at home by a third and save around a third of waste per year by adopting this food hack, which equates to a potential financial saving of £260 per year.
The campaign will offer a range of resources for consumers, including a ‘Use Up Day’ guide to help families find the best ‘Use Up Day’ and a variety of recipes that make use of commonly thrown away ingredients.
For shoppers looking to reduce waste and spend less, Tesco has launched a new food waste hub that also includes money-saving tips and advice such as batch-cooking.
Kené Umeasiegbu, Campaigns Director from Tesco said: “No one sets out to waste food but all too often hectic lifestyles, changing plans or just plain forgetfulness can mean good food ends up in the bin and money down the drain. We know that right now every little helps that’s why we are launching our ‘Use Up Day’ campaign to help our customers spend less and cut waste by using food already in their kitchen.
“We recognise that lack of time and the perception that you need to be a skilled cook can be a barrier to taking action. It’s why a ‘Use Up Day’ is straightforward and easy to implement – using recipes that are quick, tasty and help you make your food go further today.”
Katharine Crossland, Shopper Marketing Director at Unilever UK & Ireland, added: “No good food should go to waste, which is why Hellmann’s is always looking for more ways to make taste, not waste. We have an opportunity and responsibility to help shoppers get more out of their food shop – one delicious recipe at a time. Small changes in our behaviour and simple interventions, such as committing one day a week to using up leftovers, all add up. It’s great to partner with Tesco on this campaign – every morsel of good food that is used up, rather than chucked out, is better for our planet and our wallets.”
NAM Implications:
- All can benefit from this ‘Use Up Day’ hack…
- …which, if 100% successful, could result in a saving of 15% in annual meal-ingredient purchases.
- (i.e. one meal in seven free of ingredient cost)
- But suppliers and retailers will benefit from a consumer finding a good reason for buying more wisely…
- …and cost effectively.
