released today found that the Aussies have significantly reduced the food they waste year on year by $700 million! The research revealed a 7 per cent reduction from $9.6bn in 2017 to $8.9bn in 2018, equating to a back pocket saving of $160 per household a year.
While three quarters of Australians care about reducing waste, there’s still work to be done with Australians wasting a collective $8.9 billion on food in 2018, a total of $890 per household.
The Rabobank Food Waste Report, is part of the bank’s annual Financial Health Barometer (FHB), an annual survey of 2,300 financial decision makers aged between 18 - 65 polling attitudes towards savings and debt.
It’s on Baby (Boomers)
Generationally, Baby Boomers remain the least wasteful of all Australians, throwing out only $430 (7 per cent) of their food. Baby Boomers are also the generation more likely to be annoyed by their own (87%) and others’ food waste (85%) and care the most about reducing waste (85%).
Gen X wasted $838 in 2018, $85 less than in 2017
The instant gratification generation
It seems that those under 36, the Millennials, are the repeat offenders when it comes to food waste and practicing bad habits. Gen Z and Gen Y are still the biggest dollar value wasters, binning in excess of $1,200 in 2018.
This is despite the fact that Gen Y and Gen Z are significantly more willing than their older counterparts to pay extra for food that is produced in environmentally-sustainable ways and is humane or organic.
The State of affairs
While the research found there was a small difference between city dwellers (13 per cent) and their rural counterparts (11 per cent) waste levels, rivalry between states and territories continues.
Queenslanders were the only state whose food waste behaviour has regressed, with the research revealing they wasted an extra $43 a year on year.
Per capita percentage, West Australians and people in New South Wales were the worst culprits wasting 12% of their grocery shop, while people in the Northern Territory and Tasmania were the least wasteful only throwing away 9 per cent of their shop.
Victorians made the biggest improvement, reducing their food waste year on year by 5.5 per cent, totalling almost $300 a year per household!
"The Rabobank Food Waste Report shows us that the tide is turning in Australia when it comes to food waste and attitudes are translating into actions, with a total $700 million reduction to our food waste bill in one year! The results are encouraging however it is key that Australian households focus on reducing waste even further, while also saving money for their families," says Glenn Wealands, Head of Client Experience, Rabobank Australia and New Zealand.
Online Convenience creating a new food waste challenge
New food delivery trends are increasing food waste, with those who shop for groceries online and those who use food delivery services wasting significantly more food than those not using these services.
- ‘On demand’ food delivery services are linked to food waste, with those who use food delivery services wasting 15.2 per cent of their food compared to 8.4 per cent among those who do not.
- Those who online grocery shop, are also more likely to waste food. For example, people who do at least 20 per cent of their grocery shopping on line waste 19 per cent of the food they buy.
What we can do to win the War on Waste!
The main culprit for food waste is food going off before it can be finished (75 per cent), while 45 per cent of us are simply buying too much during our weekly shop and 34 per cent admit they waste food because of insufficient meal planning. Lastly, 41% of people with kids at home, said food was wasted because their kids didn’t eat the food that was prepared for them.
Many Australians are already actively embracing better habits at home that are helping to reduce their food waste including:
- 50 use a shopping list when buying groceries
- 38 per cent eating leftovers
- 36 per cent planning meals in advance
- 30 per cent freezing food
More than a third of all food produced globally never even reaches the dining table, as it is either spoiled in transit or thrown out by consumers*. This results in one third of the world's agricultural land being used to produce food that is subsequently not eaten. The resources like water, fuel and fertilizers used to grow that food are also wasted.
"As our population increases we will struggle to feed additional mouths. If we don't curb our waste, we could run out by 2050. While the reduction in food waste is a global responsibility, we all - as individual consumers - can play a significant role in sustaining this planet for generations to come."
"While is it pleasing that Australian consumers are wasting less food compared to 12 months ago, there is clearly much to do to raise awareness about food production and waste and more urgently implement better practices to reduce waste - while also improving the finances of all Australians."
"At Rabobank, we are passionate about building awareness of this issue and helping Aussies understand the role they can play in contributing to the future sustainability of our food,"Mr Wealands said.
The full results were released at Rabobank's Farm2Fork Summit, alongside the launch of Rabobank's Food Truck - an interactive, multi-purpose vehicle which will tour the country throughout the year, bringing better food sustainability knowledge to Australia.
*Roff Smith, National Geographic, How Reducing Food Waste Could Ease Climate Change. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150122-food-waste-climate-change-hunger/
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact DEC PR on:
Rabobank@decpr.com.au
02 8014 5033
The RaboDirect Financial Health Barometer
As part of the annual RaboDirect Financial Health Barometer, RaboDirect surveyed 2,300 Australians, aged between 18 and 65, about their attitudes towards food and waste, savings and debt, as well as farming and resources.
For seven years, the RaboDirect Financial Health Barometer has delivered a comprehensive overview of the nation’s attitude towards savings and debt; taking the pulse of how financially prepared Australians are as well as the affect juggling finances has on our wellbeing.
The survey is conducted in order to empower Aussies to better understand and improve their financial situation by arming them with insights into how they can save more effectively.
Farm2Fork Summit
The 2019 Farm2Fork Summit brought together the best and the brightest of the food and agriculture industry, hosting around 1,400 leading producers and industry trailblazers from around Australia, New Zealand and the world. The exclusive one-day event brought to life an immersive experience on Cockatoo Island, where guests could learn about the latest innovations in the food and agri sector as well as hear local and global speakers share their extensive knowledge and experience in varied fields.
About Rabobank
Once or twice a year you may need a doctor or a plumber but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer. Rabobank is the premier lender to the world’s food and agriculture industry and has a strong presence in Australia. Rabobank provides loans to Australian farmers, and every dollar saved with a RaboDirect savings account helps fund these loans, which contributes to the growth and development of food and agriculture business within Australia.
