Young people waste nearly 50% more food than the over 65s, says the UK-based anti-waste charity Wrap.
While Millennials, people born in the 1980s and 1990s, are often environmentally-minded their good intentions are being thwarted by their busy, complicated lifestyles. But a failure to recognise that being green begins at home, is also contributing to high waste levels among the young.
A lack of time, compared to older groups, is one of the factors holding back food waste reduction among the young. But the reason are complex and many, a spokesperson told The Times: ““Young people moving away from home to study not only need to learn new skills around provisioning and cooking for themselves, but also may face practical barriers such as a lack of storage space in freezers and fridges in multi-person households”
Wrap plans to target Millennials in a new social media initiative next month. It calls this type the “aspirational discoverer”. On its campaign site – lovefoodhatewaste,com site – Wrap says: “This group loves to try new and novel foods, and is partial to eating out or ordering a takeaway at the click of a button”.
The new campaign will focus on two main areas, helping people to make better decisions about how much food they need to buy, and efficient storage can maker food last longer.
The lovefoodhatewaste.com site goes on to suggest: “When unexpected social invitations beckon, take a moment to think about how you can manage the food you already have in your fridge and cupboards. Most fresh fruit and veg can be chopped up and frozen, ready to use when you need it. Even bread and other bakery products can go in the freezer too.”