Here at InSinkErator®, we explore how retailers can play an active role in educating consumers about the environmental issues around food waste.
Statistics and trends:
The UK churns out 15 million tonnes of food waste a year, with seven million tonnes generated by households1, resulting in a huge strain on landfill sites. It’s estimated that an average family of four is wasting approximately £700 worth of food ever year1. 74 per cent of households admitted to throwing food away due to the lack of a proper shopping list, while 24 per cent had forgotten what was in their fridge1. Furthermore, rotting food waste in landfill emits 21 million tonnes of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere every year2, causing further damage to the environment.
InSinkErator® is an active campaigner in encouraging the disposal of food waste sustainably and advises composting wherever possible. Where this option is not possible, however, an InSinkErator® food waste disposer is the ideal alternative for diverting food waste from ending up in landfill.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent UK lockdowns, consumers’ homes became their safe haven as well as their office, classroom and restaurant. This has led to consumers re-evaluating their homes to ensure they meet a wider range of needs, including enhancing the kitchen to support the increase in home cooking and being more hygienic. As a result, at InSinkErator®, we witnessed a spike in sales of our food waste disposers. With the increased demand for hygiene in the kitchen, we predict this trend will continue as we navigate the ‘new normal’.
What’s more, several food waste collections were postponed throughout the UK at the height of the first lockdown, to reduce the pressure on local council resources. This, coupled with the warmer weather, resulted in unpleasant food waste smells that can attract unwanted insects and pests. An InSinkErator® food waste disposer is the ideal solution to managing food waste, especially where home composting is not possible.
Advice for retailers:
Sustainability continues to be an important factor when consumers are considering what products to invest in for their homes. Environmental issues, such as food waste, are increasingly featured in the media to encourage consumers to make positive lifestyle changes that benefit the world we live in. We expect this important issue to continue to have an effect on the kitchen industry in the future with manufacturers striving to offer products to consumers that can help reduce their carbon footprint.
InSinkErator® food waste disposers provide a great opportunity to independent kitchen specialists and are an easy add-on to any sink, furniture or kitchen sale, generating valuable additional turnover. One of the most common mistakes when specifying a food waste disposer is not specifying one at all; not encouraging or promoting sales is both an opportunity and margin missed.
With the government announcement on 7th May 2021 that from 2023, every UK household will receive separate weekly food waste collections3, retailers will need to consider food waste options when designing kitchens for their customers. For disposing of food waste safely and hygienically, why not specify a food waste disposer rather than a food waste caddy? It fits neatly under the sink, out of sight, saving the need to specify, as well as the space for, multiple bins and separate food waste compartments.
Not only does this offer an alternative to traditional disposal methods, but by reducing food waste to landfill sites, it also helps to reduce greenhouse gases and the household’s carbon footprint. In addition, and where there is an anaerobic digester, within the sewerage system, the nutrients from the food waste can be recovered and turned into biogas and fertiliser, to complete the circular economy.
The kitchen is one of the most sociable areas of the home and is increasingly incorporated into the design of a property’s living area. Regardless of the kitchen style or design, a food waste disposer can significantly reduce the amount of food waste in the kitchen bin, as well as eliminating any unwelcome interruptions from stale and gone-off food odours. Cooking from scratch at home becomes instantly more hygienic, when an InSinkErator® food waste disposer is installed, as inedible food scraps can be disposed of within seconds.
What’s more, for consumers looking to reduce their single-use plastic consumption, retailers can recommend the InSinkErator® 4N1 Touch combination tap. The 4N1 Touch provides a stream of filtered cold water for 30 seconds, at the touch of a button. Consumers with a 4N1 Touch tap can benefit by having instant filtered water readily available in their own home, saving valuable kitchen space and reducing the need to purchase bottled water; especially when a variety of re-fillable drinking bottles are widely available.
Sources:
1 https://insinkerator.emerson.com/en-gb/blog/food-waste-facts-uk
2 COP21: Drone to monitor rubbish dump gases
3 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-plans-unveiled-to-boost-recycling
