As summer holidays begin, many Brits are preparing to pack and secure their homes. New research from AEG reveals that 64% of Brits will throw away food before going away, despite 92% saying they try to make an effort to use up food beforehand.
London Wastes Most Food by Value
The survey found that over one in ten (11%) Brits will throw away more than £20 worth of food before going on holiday. London was revealed as the UK region wasting the most food by value, with one in five (20%) households throwing away more than £20 worth.
Post-Holiday Food Waste
The research indicated that some people opt not to throw away food before leaving, but a third (33%) admit that upon returning home, they find food that has gone off, which they ultimately have to throw away anyway.
Alternative Ways to Reduce Waste
Instead of discarding food unnecessarily, some find alternative ways of dealing with food that is likely to spoil whilst on holiday. Over two-fifths (44%) will freeze food where possible, almost a third (29%) will give food away to family and friends, and 4% will compost any leftover food before going away.
Holiday Mode on Fridge Freezers
Three in four (76%) Brits have admitted they were unaware that their fridge freezer may have a "holiday mode" setting, which, as product training manager Michael Forbes at AEG explains, is specifically designed for when leaving home for extended periods.
"A lot of integrated fridge freezers have a holiday mode setting that a lot of people aren't aware of, but it's great to use when going on longer trips," he said. "Once you've emptied the fridge compartment, holiday mode will keep the fridge at a higher temperature while leaving the freezer to continue running as normal.
"It's a simple way to avoid cooling an empty fridge unnecessarily for an extended period of time while protecting any frozen food. The holiday mode is easy to use once you know how."
"On compatible models, locate the control panel and select the holiday setting. Leave the freezer section stocked, and when you return, simply switch the fridge back to its usual temperature settings before refilling."
Simple Checks Before Leaving
Not all appliances will have built-in fridge settings like holiday mode, but Michael explained there are still some simple checks you can do to help keep any food left in the fridge fresh for longer.
He said: "Before going away, the best thing to do is to check your fridge is set to the recommended standard temps of around 4°C and your freezer to -19C. These are the recommended temperatures for keeping food fresh and frozen safely while ensuring the appliance runs efficiently."
"Before you leave, it’s worth spending a couple of minutes checking your appliance. Make sure any containers are sealed, and check the fridge and freezer doors are fully closed. These small checks can help reduce food waste, prevent unwanted odours and ensure your appliance performs at its best while you're away."
