Majority Of Consumers Are Concerned About Food Waste From F&B Companies In Singapore [Media Release]

– 90% of consumers are concerned about the food waste generated by F&B companies
– 95% of consumers want F&B companies to do more to reduce food waste
– Consumers are willing to support F&B companies which adopt strategies to reduce food waste

Singapore, 5 Aug 2015 – Majority of consumers are concerned about food waste generated by food and beverage (F&B) companies and would encourage and support the companies to reduce food waste, according to a recent survey conducted to understand consumer attitudes toward food waste generated by the F&B sector in Singapore. The study was conducted from Feb to Apr this year by the students under the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme from the National University of Singapore, in partnership with the new non-profit organisation, Zero Waste SG.

According to the National Environment Agency, about 790,000 tonnes of food waste was generated in Singapore in 2014 and only 13% of this waste is recycled. Consumers can reduce food waste on an individual level, but can also play an important role in advocating for greater efforts and best practices in food waste reduction by the F&B sector. With this premise, the study aims to understand consumers’ attitude towards food waste and how they hope F&B companies (including retail shops selling food; bakeries; cafes; restaurants; food courts; canteens; hawker centres; markets; supermarkets; and caterers) can contribute to the reduction of food waste. Read more

Insights on Food Waste in Singapore

We have been running the Save Food Cut Waste campaign since Nov 2012. There is now more awareness about food waste in Singapore and we have been getting several enquiries from the public who are concerned about food waste.

To address some of the concerns on food waste, let’s take a closer look at food waste generated, the causes, ways to reduce food waste, key barriers, and our proposed action plan to tackle food waste.

Food Waste in Singapore

Over the last 10 years, the amount of food waste generated in Singapore has increased by 45%. In 2013, the amount of food waste generated reached an all-time high of 796,000 tonnes and only 13% of it was recycled. Read more

Amount of food waste in Singapore hits record high [News]

By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2013.

From the factory right down to the dining table, more food is being dumped in Singapore.

A new record was set for food wastage last year as 703,200 tonnes were generated – a 26 per cent spike from the 558,900 tonnes produced in 2007.

This far outpaced the 15.8 per cent growth in the local population over the same period.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said that besides population growth, a rise in tourist arrivals and increasing affluence had contributed to the problem.

Mr Jose Raymond, executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, said the “ease of accessibility to food and increased food variety” could also have worsened the wastage.

The problem has permeated every link of the supply chain. In a statement to The Straits Times, the NEA noted that food wastage “is being produced in homes, as well as food manufacturing and catering industries, foodcourts, restaurants, supermarkets and hawker centres”.

But the amount of food being recycled each year remains low.

Click here to read the full article.

Source: The Straits Times