Cutting food waste could save industry millions
RESTAURATEURS could save money and cut food waste by offering more choice and a range of portion sizes, a new report has claimed.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) survey said operators can reduce costs and waste by asking diners if they want side dishes like chips, vegetables and salad, which are said to be the most frequently wasted foods.
The organisation’s recommendations came after more than half of the Scottish consumers who responded to its survey said portion sizes were too large, with three quarters agreeing that pubs, hotels and restaurants should offer ‘doggy bags’.
WRAP, which delivers the Zero Waste Scotland programme for the Scottish Government, has launched an online pack for the hospitality sector, which includes advice to help operators cut waste, such as offering a range of portion choices on menus.
Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland, said preventing food waste and increasing recycling, could lead to significant cost savings for the hospitality sector.
“Knowing what diners feel about the amount of food they are ordering and paying for when they are eating out in Scotland is really important as we continue to work to tackle food waste,” he said.
“We already knew that 53,500 tonnes of Scotland’s food waste comes from the hospitality sector each year and this new research will help us to help the industry to take more steps to minimise the amount of food wasted by them and their customers.
“The Hospitality and Food Service Agreement demonstrates there are many in the industry keen to address this issue and it is encouraging to see that consumers would welcome some changes to how much food they are served when they are eating out.
“An industry working group we recently established will also look at the issue of menu planning and portion sizes.”
Image – Reducing portion sizes could help cut food waste, says a new report.
