Monday Moaning

Reports that America, England and Europe waste about 50% of their food from the farm to the mouth.

Produce is not perfect or ripening correctly or not the right shape or not the right colour, so it is left to rot on the farm. Transport methods damaging produce on the way to market. Storage in shops and supermarkets. Waste in preparing the food in the kitchen. Throwing out prepared food at home when there is too much; and finally, simply buying too much and it ends up on the compost or rubbish cans.

UK supermarkets reject ‘wasted food’ report claims

The report said half the food bought in Europe and the US ended up in the bin

Britain’s biggest supermarkets have been defending their practices after a report suggested that up to half of the world’s food is thrown away.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers said the waste was being caused by poor storage, strict sell-by dates, bulk offers and consumer fussiness.

The British Retail Consortium said supermarkets have “adopted a range of approaches” to combat waste.

They also lobbied the EU to relax laws stopping the sale of misshaped produce.

According to the report – Global Food; Waste Not, Want Not – from the UK-based institution, as much as half of the world’s food, amounting to two billion tonnes worth, is wasted.

Its study claims that up to 30% of vegetables in the UK were not harvested because of their physical appearance.

‘Waste of resources’

The report said that between 30% and 50% of the four billion tonnes of food produced around the world each year went to waste.

It suggested that half the food bought in Europe and the US was thrown away.

Dr Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “The amount of food wasted and lost around the world is staggering. This is food that could be used to feed the world’s growing population – as well as those in hunger today.

“It is also an unnecessary waste of the land, water and energy resources that were used in the production, processing and distribution of this food.

“The reasons for this situation range from poor engineering and agricultural practices, inadequate transport and storage infrastructure through to supermarkets demanding cosmetically perfect foodstuffs and encouraging consumers to overbuy through buy-one-get-one-free offers.”

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The human race really needs to get its act together. Wasting 50% of the world’s produce is a hideous example of our civilisation.

The you can add to that waste when food is discarded because it has reached its validity date.

We have a large percentage of the world crying out for food, and we just throw it away.

There are water shortages throughout the world, and we waste it growing produce that will never be consumed.

Humanity really needs to wake up its ideas and put our feet back on the ground. We have been namby-pambied for too long when we won’t eat fruit or vege because it is the wrong shape or colour.

This has to stop!

There is nothing wrong with this tomato!

It still tastes like a tomato!

There is no defence for waste!