Research reveals food waste in the East at Christmas

A nationwide poll commissioned by Christian Aid about festive charitable giving and food waste habits reveals that more than half of adults in Eastern England admit to overspending on food at Christmas

More than half (52%) of adults in the East of England admit to overspending on food at Christmas, according to a new nationwide poll by ComRes for charity Christian Aid

The poll also revealed:

Of those in Eastern England who admitted to overspending on festive food, 61% say they would overspend by up to £50, and just 1% admitting to overspending by more than £300
People in the East of England are most likely to say they bin Brussel sprouts (17%), cranberry sauce (16%) and Christmas pudding (9%) from the Christmas dinner

The poll is published as Christian Aid launches stop-motion film, ‘Oh What A Waste’, using real food from the traditional Christmas dinner, combined with a unique version of The Twelve Days of Christmas, to highlight the vast quantity of edibles the UK public throws away every year

The statistics used in the film are based on existing research and include 70 million mince pies, four million puddings and two million turkeys. The film is part of the charity’s annual Christmas Appeal, and is encouraging people to save their money this Christmas and spend it on food that really matters - waste less, save money and save lives

For every pound the public give to the appeal to support people living in poverty, the UK Government will also give a pound. That’s double the support for families struggling to feed themselves in South Sudan, meaning even more mothers and infants under-five in South Sudan will be saved from the life-threatening effects of malnutrition

Julian Bryant, Christian Aid’s Regional Coordinator for Norfolk, said: “We really hope the people of Norfolk enjoy Oh What A Waste as a bit of festive fun, but that it also highlights an important issue. If we all cut back a little on food we tuck into this Christmas, we can all save a little and waste less

“Hunger is not inevitable. There is enough food in the world to feed everyone – yet thousands of people around the world, including South Sudan, still go to bed hungry. The crisis in the African nation has reached unprecedented levels, with an estimated six million people facing food insecurity. If left untreated, acute malnutrition – the most extreme form of food crisis – can lead to death

“Please do share the film, waste less and donate what you can to our Christmas Appeal – with all donations being doubled by the UK Government”

Just £5 could provide a cash voucher to provide enough food for a family for four days, and £10 feed a family in South Sudan for a week.

Donations made to the Christmas Appeal between 6 November 2017 and 5 February 2018 will be matched up to £2.7 million. The UK Government’s match will fund our work in South Sudan

To watch Oh What A Waste, click the video above or visit visit caid.org.uk/12days, and to donate to the Christmas Appeal, visit www.christianaid.org.uk/christmas-appeal