How restaurants and takeaways are tackling our food waste issue

Restaurants in Britain should be proactive in reducing food waste to advance sustainable development.

In recent years, the issue of food waste has garnered significant attention in the UK. Millions of tonnes of good food is wasted by the UK food industry every year. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant has probably witnessed enormous amounts of food being thrown out on a weekly basis, if not daily in some places. 

According to Willshee’s Waste & Recycling, British restaurants and cafes throw out enough food each year to feed everyone in the Country five times, or the equivalent of 320 million meals. It is imperative for people to take some actions to reduce food waste in their lives.

To combat this issue, there have been various initiatives launched in recent years, such as the Love Food Hate Waste campaign by WRAP, which aims to raise awareness about the issue of food waste and provide practical tips for reducing it. Additionally, some supermarkets have started selling “wonky” or imperfect produce at a discounted price to help reduce waste.

As part of the UN’s sustainable development goals, the UK government has committed to halving food waste per person in the UK by 2030. Over 9.5 million tonnes of food waste were produced in the UK in 2018, a 15% decrease from 2007. As part of its resources and waste policy, the government supports a number of programmes, but there have been calls for it to enact laws to ensure that it meets its goals rather than depending solely on voluntary agreements.

Food is one of the most preventable waste products sent to landfill. Although households and agriculture produce the most of the garbage, restaurants alone contribute 199,100 tonnes, costing businesses £682 million annually. 

Reducing food waste in restaurants will be crucial and necessary, and some constructive and effective actions can be taken widely among restaurants in UK, shoulder social responsibility and support environmental sustainability.

What measures and methods can help restaurants reduce food waste？

Sustainable and zero-waste restaurants

One of the largest problems facing the restaurant industry is food waste. In recent years, a rising number of eateries and chefs have begun to address the problem. There are now several restaurants in London that either are or aspire to be zero waste establishments. Zero waste has also become a social action campaign and lifestyle.

Silo was probably one of the first sustainable restaurants to appear on the map, initially opening in 2014 in Brighton before sustainable restaurants were really a thing. Modern British restaurant Silo was reopen in east London in September 2019 after leaving its Brighton location. Since then, with its zero-waste culinary philosophy, it was setting the standard for sustainable restaurants worldwide. 

The duty manager Michael of the restaurant said: “Our dishes are created with whole ingredients in mind, reducing what’s left over, and an on-site compost machine will be used for scraps and trimmings.”

Silo operates an on-site composting system that allows them to convert food scraps and organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. This compost is then used to nourish their kitchen garden, closing the loop and minimizing waste.

“Our team churns its own butter, rolls its own oats and makes its own almond milk so as to minimise waste and packaging.” Michael said.

Silo also utilizes techniques like fermentation and preservation to extend the shelf life of ingredients. This enables them to use produce that might otherwise go to waste and creates unique flavors for their dishes.

The proprietor of this zero-waste restaurant Silo, McMaster has said: Much as 50% of food is lost in restaurants, and as much as an astounding 80% at fine dining establishments. These are figures that can and should be decreased without a doubt.

By adopting these practices and promoting a circular economy mindset, Silo has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable dining. 

In recent years, more and more zero waste restaurants have emerged across the UK, attracting many people to experience unique dining experiences. Promoting and encouraging zero waste restaurants will enable more people to understand and feel the concept of sustainability and conservation, and join the ranks of reducing food waste.

Spending money on improving food waste management

“The main reasons for hospitality food waste are preparation (45%), customer leftovers (34%), and spoilage (21%).” According to Waste and Resources Action Programme.

Food waste generates significant environmental impacts throughout its lifecycle. By investing in food waste management, such as implementing better storage and preservation techniques, composting, or anaerobic digestion, you can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. 

Some restaurants are well aware of the negative effects of food waste, but they are unwilling to spend money to address and manage it because they feel that doing so is an unnecessary expense and will increase operational costs. In actuality, though, reducing waste will benefit them and promote sustainable business practises.

For every £1 a restaurant invested in reducing their food waste, they saved an average of £7 in operating costs over a three-year period, granting a 600% return on investment (ROI) according to WRAP. By doing this, the average restaurant was able to reduce food waste by 26% in just one year and by almost 90% in two years.

These numbers came from stock savings, increased sales from reusing leftovers, and lower waste management expenditures, showing that few cons to improving your business’s food waste management.

Offering and encouraging takeaway

During Food Waste Action Week, Belfast City Council introduced a new scheme to assist companies in reducing food waste. The “Cater 4 Later” bring home box programme will allow guests to take home their leftover food while enabling eateries and cafés throughout Belfast to reduce food waste. 

Customers’ leftover food makes up about one-third of the waste produced by Belfast restaurants, according to the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Councillor Micky Murray, chair of Belfast City Council’s People and Communities Committee, called the programme “a win, win for both customers and businesses.”.

He encouraged all food vendors throughout the city to sign up, so they can offer a greater range of services to their clients and eventually help improve our local environment by lowering their levels of food waste going to trash. Businesses that participate in the programme will gain better sustainability, become more ecologically responsible, and increase their customer happiness and service. 

The new scheme for diners helping restaurants to reduce food waste should be promoted and implemented on a larger scale, even throughout the UK. 

The owner of the restaurant has a duty to make efforts to minimise food waste because many customers won’t hesitate to leave some pieces of food on their plates.

Make it easy for customers to take their leftovers home by providing them with take-away containers. This will encourage them to take the extra food with them instead of leaving it on the plate. Let customers know that taking away their leftovers can help to reduce food waste and protect the environment. This can be done through posters or by training the restaurant staff to communicate this message. 

Abraham, a waiter at Kangnam Pocha, a Korean cuisine restaurant located in London Holborn, told me “We strongly encourage customers to pack their leftovers. We usually proactively remind them because sometimes they may be hesitant to request to pack and take away or say they don’t need to pack”.

Another important aspect is portion control. One of the main reasons for food waste in restaurants is that the portion sizes are often too large. Encourage restaurants and cafes to serve smaller portions and provide options for half-size servings. This can help to reduce the amount of food wasted by customers who cannot finish their meals. Customers are more likely to finish all their meals or take the leftovers home.

The trend towards small-plate restaurants rises, also known as tapas-style or sharing-style dining, has indeed gained popularity in recent years. This style of dining offers a more interactive and social experience, allowing diners to sample a variety of flavors and dishes in a single meal. 

By making it easier and more incentivizing for customers to take away their leftovers, restaurants can help to reduce food waste and promote sustainable practices.

Encouraging and supporting for Food banks

Food banks are charitable organisations which can help reduce food waste by collecting and distributing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. Food banks often receive donations of fresh produce, packaged goods, and non-perishable items from supermarkets, restaurants, and other food industry businesses.

By distributing these items to people in need, food banks can reduce the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills. This can have a positive impact on the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources.

Many communities have initiatives aimed at reducing food waste and supporting food banks. Chen Jie, manger of Little Four Seasons, London Chinatown Restaurant, said “Communities collecting excess produce from our restaurant to distribute to food banks. Support local food rescue organizations that redirect surplus food from here to those in need”.

The rise of food bank usage in the UK due to food waste issue. In its May 2021 State of Hunger report, the Trussell Trust estimated around 2.5% of all UK households (700,000) used a food bank in 2019-20, prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 Consumer Tracker showed 8% of respondents had used a food bank or a food charity in April. This rose to 11% by October 2021.

Food banks play a crucial role in reducing food waste by intercepting surplus food and ensuring it reaches those who need it. Their efforts contribute to a more sustainable and efficient food system. 

Waste is a naturally enormous by-product of most restaurants, but one that can easily be reduced or removed altogether when enough thought goes into it.

There are, however, depressingly few restaurants in UK actually prioritising. We need some people to take the lead and play a leading and exemplary role in society, cutting out waste where possible.

Feature image by CHEAPERWASTE.