Asda customers are so concerned about the environment that they actually see it as a bigger issue than their own health.
Data from Asda’s Pulse of the Nation survey found that two thirds of customers (64%) are worried about the environment, with just 49% concerned about their own health, highlighting how concerned they are about the future of the planet.
And customers realise they have a role to play with 88% of those asked saying that reducing their food waste is important to them, with data from climate change NGO WRAP showing that over *70% of food waste occurs in the home, costing the average family around £700 a year. This is particularly important given that 9 in 10 customers are currently concerned about the cost of living.
Asda has produced a dedicated page on its website with hints and tips on how to prevent food waste including a number of tasty recipes using leftovers.
The supermarket is helping customers in a number of other ways combat food waste, recently removing Best Before dates on almost 330 of its fresh fruit & vegetable products to encourage customers to decide for themselves if the food is edible.
Asda has also removed Use By dates and replacing them with Best Before dates on almost half its own brand yoghurts, with WRAP research showing that **70 per cent of all the yoghurt wasted in the home is due to the product ‘not being used in time’, with the date label cited as the reason.
Asda Senior Manager, Zero Waste, Karen Todd, said: “It is clear our customers care a lot about the environment and want to know ways that they can help out and reduce their own carbon footprint. Our job is to do what we can to make food waste reduction as simple as possible whilst doing all we can to reduce our own.
“Food Waste Action Week will help us spread the word the importance of reducing food waste to not only help the planet, but customer’s wallets as well.”
Jackie Bailey, Love Food Hate Waste campaign manager, said: “For this year’s Food Waste Action Week, we’re encouraging the nation to follow ‘Win. Don’t Bin’ and highlighting the very real benefits that using up your uneaten food can have on your pockets, your personal time and the planet. It is great to see Asda supporting their customers in the fight against food waste with this new webpage. At a time of rising food prices, tackling food waste at home is one way we can all make a difference – and help save money.”
* food- surplus-and- waste-in-the- uk-key-facts-oct-21.pdf (wrap.org.uk) (page 13)
**: https://wrap.org.uk/resources/report/citizen-insights-use-and-best-dates-dairy-products
