The Zero Waste Masterplan was launched in 2019 to help reduce wastage in 3 different ways – E-waste, packaging waste and Food Waste.
Beyond this measure put in place by the Government, you may wonder if Singaporeans are actually doing their part on a day to day basis to reduce their food wastage. And if you are someone who is big on reducing your environmental footprint, you will be glad to know that Singaporeans are now more concerned about their food wastage!
According to a study done by the National Environment Agency (NEA), 80% of respondents know the environmental impact of food waste and they will feel “bothered” when they are throwing away leftover food.
To this, there has also been an increase in the number of people who are adopting different habits to reduce their own food waste, as compared to 2015.
Some measures undertaken by consumers are: taking away unfinished food when dining out and also ensuring that they are not over-ordering when they are hosting guests.
When asked if they are willing to purchase foods that are closer to the expiry date, 20% more respondents are also in favour of purchasing these foods at a discounted rate, as compared to in 2015.
Why Are They Doing So?
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You may wonder what is causing the increasing concern over food waste that is leading to an overall reduction. The main reason cited by the respondents is actually saving money (93%) and coming in a close second at 92% is the respondents’ interest to protect the environment.
With such a huge percentage of respondents citing their interest to protect the environment by reducing food waste, it is a good sign as it shows that efforts to make known the undesirable effects of food waste has been successful.
How Else Can We Help?
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Despite the increase in the number of people who are reducing their food waste, up to 80% of the respondents in the study stated that they would want more information on how to reduce waste.
For consumers like us, we can spread around more information to our friends and families on the efforts that we have been doing to reduce our own food waste.
Food stall owners can also include the option of letting customers order smaller portions at eating establishments as well.
Knowledge is Power.
Understanding the effects of food waste and knowing what we can do to reduce food waste will definitely help in the long run to reduce our food waste and better our environment together.
At Lumitics, we are big on helping establishments reduce food waste with our product. However, we know that we can do more. If you are a consumer wanting to reduce food waste, come like our Facebook Page and follow our Website as we share weekly articles on how we can reduce our food wastage!