According to the Department of Environment and Energy, 2.2 million tonnes of edible food is disposed of in Australia every year. Furthermore, food waste is estimated to cost the Australian economy $20 billion annually! As a complex issue, reducing food waste requires a multi-faceted approach.
Reducing food waste & helping those in need
The 2016 FoodBank Hunger Report showed that 644,000 Australians received food relief each month. This number has risen to 652,000 in 2017. The diversion of excess food to food rescue charities is one of the best ways of tackling the food waste problem and supporting those in need.
In taking food rescue one step further, the first OzHarvest Market opened in April 2017. Essentially it is a pop-up waste-free grocer operating on a ‘take what you need give what you can’ philosophy.
While charities are leading the way in food rescue, restaurants and cafes can do more to reduce their food waste.
Restaurants and cafes waste 25% of the food they buy
In a study conducted by RMIT, researchers found that just 22% of restaurants and cafes monitor how much food waste they produce. Astonishingly, restaurants and cafes throw away approximately 25% of the food they buy – a huge blow to the bottom line!
In addition to working with food rescue charities, the Doggy Bag is another way to reduce ‘plate food waste’. However, as a nation of foodies, Australians are reluctant to ask for a Doggy Bag. So let’s look at why this is so.
Doggy Bag stigma
In a 2013 survey conducted by Unilever Food Solutions, 26% of Gen Y’s (18-26) were too bashful to ask to take leftovers home. The main reasons we don’t use Doggy Bags are:
- Customers are too embarrassed to ask for one.
- Customers and restaurant staff believe Doggy Bags are illegal.
- Restaurant staff don’t think to offer them.
From this it is obvious that a change in attitudes about the Doggy Bag is required.
Though not easy, there are ways to reduce the embarrassment, shame, and stigma associated with Doggy Bags.
Changing attitudes about Doggy Bags
Government agencies, charities, and community groups do an excellent job of educating the public on ways to reduce food waste and re-use edible food. However, the hospitality industry needs to be more proactive in changing the attitudes of staff and customers in regards to food waste.
One way to do this is to educate staff on how to offer customers a Doggy Bag. Teaching staff to use of alternative language can help overcome the stigma associated with Doggy Bags. Asking customers if they want their leftovers in ‘to go boxes’, as ‘carry out’, or if the prefer it to be ‘wrapped’ may help the take-up of Doggy Bags.
Training staff about food safety and the legality of Doggy Bags is another area for improvement.
Food safety and Doggy Bag laws
As cited by the Australian Institute for Food Safety (AIFS), there are currently no laws anywhere in Australia preventing the use of Doggy Bags. Further, the Food Act 2003 (NSW) does not prevent restaurants from using Doggy Bags. The AIFS does, however, recommend greater awareness of the food safety guidelines for storing and using leftovers.
- Make sure storage containers are dated.
- Provide customers with instructions on how to safely store and reheat food.
As a further precautionary measure, some restaurants ask customers to sign a legal waiver before presenting them with a Doggy Bag. We’re not sure how this would stand up in Court, but we do understand why this is occurring.
Reducing food waste can be easy to achieve if venue owners and staff take an integrated approach.
Simple ways to reduce food waste
There are plenty of ways to reduce food waste. Here are some of our recommendations.
- Conduct a Food Waste Audit and refine your food waste strategy. Start by using Food Waste Templates developed by the Food Loss & Waste Accounting & Reporting Standards.
- Limit the number of options on your menu.
- Speak to suppliers about seasonal produce and plan your purchasing and menu accordingly.
- Manage stock mindfully – fridge, store room, and freezers.
- Use ‘Daily Specials’ as a way to use excess stock.
- Avoid huge portion sizes. Use interesting and beautiful crockery and cutlery to enhance food presentation and enjoyment.
- Educate staff on why reducing food waste is important to your business.
- Always have adequate storage containers and jars available so you can store food safely.
- Label and store food according to food safety guidelines.
- Use takeaway food containers for Doggy Bags.
- Control temperatures for food storage and reheating.
- Keep fridges between 1ºC and 4ºC and freezers below -18ºC
- Monitor commercial refrigeration daily and undertake regular maintenance checks.
- Educate staff on why reducing food waste is important to your business. Let customers know what you’re doing and why.
- Work with Food Rescue Charities for the reuse and recycling of excess food.
We can all do more and make a few changes to reduce our food waste. If you need additional support, our team is happy to help you achieve your food waste goals.
Service starts here
Members of our team have been working in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years. We can help you choose the right storage and takeaway packaging options to help you reduce your food waste.
If you would like more information, please contact a member of our friendly team. Phone (02) 9052 9111