This week saw a doubling down on zero waste as part of a nationwide campaign aimed at inspiring Kiwis to minimise their home food waste.
Celebrity endorsement and other initiatives around the country have made a success of this week’s first national Zero Food Waste Challenge.
The week-long challenge will help put the growing issue of food waste on the map with food rescue charities across Aotearoa coming together to give Kiwis the tools and support they need to address the problem. Starting the week, founder of the Zero Food Waste Challenge, Veronica Shale said the aim was to not only learn to tackle food waste, but raise the profile of over 32 food rescue hubs across Aotearoa.
Shale says that Kiwi households contribute the largest proportion of food waste in New Zealand. “Eighty-six per cent of Kiwis believe that wasting food is wrong, but with so much information around it’s hard to know where to start. The Challenge is all about supporting Kiwis to do what they can to reduce their food waste”. Previously, working at the Auckland food rescue charity Fair Food NZ, Shale helped redirect 143 tonnes of good food away from landfills to families in need.
Our aim is to spark conversations and give people the tools and tips they need to do their part with a smile. New Zealand doesn’t need a few people doing everything perfectly, we need everyone to do what they can – a million people making a small change would make a fantastic difference for our planet”, says Shale. / Photo supplied
Heading up the country, the northernmost food rescue hub is 155 Food Rescue Northland, run by 155 Whare Āwhina Community Houses. The only organisation of its kind in Te Tai Tokerau, the hub is operated by a team of four who collect surplus food from the area’s growers and retailers for redistribution to community groups such as food banks, schools, marae, and churches. Their efforts have resulted in the rescue of 60 tonnes of food, reports the Northern Advocate.
Meanwhile the online supermarket Supie joined the challenge by making no-waste food bundles for customers to choose from, consisting of heavily discounted items that were coming up to their used by date.
Photo supplied
Countdown is also getting behind efforts to tackle one of the planet’s most pressing social and environmental issues and is encouraging Kiwis and Kiwi businesses to do the same as part of the inaugural Zero Food Waste Challenge.
Countdown’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Safety & Sustainability, Kiri Hannifin, says that as a long-time supporter of more than 25 food rescue charities around the country the supermarket jumped at the chance to sponsor the challenge. “As one of New Zealand’s biggest food businesses, sending zero food waste to landfill is one of our most critical sustainability goals – not only for the good of the planet but also, with our food rescue partners, to directly help Kiwis who might otherwise go hungry.”
“We want to support our customers to make the most of their kai once they get it home and taking part in the Zero Waste Food Challenge will support them every step of the way with tips for storage, shopping advice and tasty recipes to use up odds and ends,” says Hannifin. “They can also contribute directly by donating at the checkout during the week of the challenge as each Countdown store will be fundraising for its local food rescue partner.”
Countdown’s Food Rescue Programme donates $5.2 million worth of food to food banks and food rescues every year, with an additional $1.7 million heading to farmers as food scraps for their animals. Financial support for food rescue partners is also available through a contestable Food Rescue Partners fund that has awarded more than $2.5million in cash since its inception in 2016.
“Right across our business, our team are focused on meeting our zero food waste to landfill goal. Our store teams are not only working to put good food aside for donation each day, but also undertaking other food rescue initiatives like turning yesterday’s baguettes into garlic bread, overripe bananas into banana bread and unsold cooked chickens into sandwich fillings.”
“We’re looking forward to the Zero Food Waste Challenge and we’d love to see our customers and other food businesses jump on-board as well – food waste is something we all have to solve together,” says Hannifin.
Scary stats: Food wastage in New Zealand:
- The average Kiwi household wastes $1520 of food every year, nationally that adds up to $3.1
billion worth of food per year that we buy and throw away uneaten - Kiwis are wasting more food than a year ago, the estimated percentage of household food
waste has risen to 13.4 per cent from 8.6 per cent in 2021 - 53 per cent of New Zealanders admitted to throwing away unopened food, up from 42 per
cent in 2021 - Despite being the generation most concerned with climate change, Gen Z wastes the most
food with 28.2 per cent of their weekly food spend going to landfill (up from 16 per cent in
2021) - Other generations also estimated they wasted more food in 2022 than the previous year, Gen
X wasted 16.2 per cent (up from 12 per cent), Gen Y was 10.1 per cent (up from 6 per cent)
and Baby Boomers were up to 8.3 per cent (from 5 per cent) *
New Zealand’s first Zero Food Waste Challenge runs from 19 – 25 September and interested Kiwis can register to take part at make a financial contribution to their local food rescue by rounding up their purchase at the Countdown checkout and follow Countdown’s lead in making real lasting changes.
