Sophie Wolland: Love Food Hate Waste Programme Manager on New Zealand wasting 1.2 million tonnes of food a year

A rise in bulk buying may be contributing to New Zealand's food waste.  

A report commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment reveals more than 1.2 million tonnes of food is wasted or thrown away here every year. 

Nearly a third is by households, with processing and food production making up the rest. 

Love Food Hate Waste Programme Manager Sophie Wolland told Ryan Bridge buying in bulk isn't always the best idea. 

She says if there's no plan in place for the food, it can likely go off and end up in the bin. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So grim snapshot of our food waste problem. The study
from Otarger UNI says key wes toss out one point
two million tons of food a year. That's about two
hundred and fifty kilograms per person every year. It's basically
not our problem though, it's most of it comes from
the food industry itself. Sophie Wolland is Love Food, Hate Waste,
New Zealand program manager joining me now, Hi, Sophie.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good morning, Ryan, Good, good to be here.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Good to have you on the show. So we can
blame the food industry for all of this, not us A.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
I'd love to point fingers, Ryan, but I think the
data is pretty clear that you know, thirty percent of
food waste is still coming from household, so you and
I do have a part to play in this major problem.
For the good news is there's really some easy solutions
that we can all take to reduce that thirty percent
of household food waste contributing to that massive as you say,

(00:52):
one point two million tons of food going to landfill
every year, Sophie.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
Will it ever be zero? I have my mother in
law staying with us, and she said, it's just get
everything that's in the fridge and make something now, don't
I would normally never do that, but she did it,
made a beautiful chicken soup. Put everything in there. Is
it ever going to be zero? Is there any country
who has gotten close to zero? Anyone doing better than us?

Speaker 2 (01:15):
There's definitely countries doing better than us. But to answer
the question, will we ever get it to zero? In
the household, it is there's always going to be sorry,
unavoidable food waste. So you know your Apple cares, your
Advocado tips, but there's definitely lots we can do. And
what your mom has suggested with the fridge harvest is

(01:36):
something and love food, hate waste. We love to see
families do. We recommend having a week, sorry a night
every week where you just raid the fridge. We recommend
having it eat me first shelf. So all those little
bits and bobs that you do need to use up
when you have a fridge harvest at high level ready
to go in a good reminder to use them up.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Is part of the problem that the size of the
packaging that we get stuff in.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
It can be In some cases you know, definitely instare
the size of the packaging. Lots of multi deals, they
can be quite. You know, they can look from the
outside like a really good deal, but ultimately if you
don't have a plan for that food, then it can
you know, it is likely that it can go off,

(02:24):
that you don't get to it in time, and then
ultimately it ends up in the bin. So we definitely
recommend before you head to the shop to plan your meals.
So we recommend three the four seas check you check
what you've got, choose your meals, and create your list
and head to the shop with that physical list so
you don't get sidetracked by those multi deals or you know,

(02:45):
as you say, over buying, but sometimes you know, you
can get a really good deal and with the cost
of living crisis it is. You know, if you've got
the space, then you can purchase in bulk. But we've
just got to make sure that you're storing it correctly.
So if you're not sure how to stoial something, you
can jump onto the Love Food, Hate Waste website. There's
ages in storage guide and I can tell you exactly

(03:08):
how to store your food correctly.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
All right, Sophie, nice to have you on the show.
Thank you Sophie, well and Love Food, Hate Waste for more.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
From Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to news
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