Money to throw away at Christmas!
It is estimated that over £60 million of food and drink will be wasted over the festive period with many families admitting that they overspend and overindulge during the festive season. Recycling firm May Gurney has released an alarming report which suggests that the average UK household will spend over £50 extra a week on food in the festive period. However, it is the waste which will follow which is most concerning!
Over 20% of those surveyed admit that they buy too much food and drink over the festive period, 30% expect to bin at least 10% of what they buy and an additional 25% will throw out their food because it has passed the "best before" date. In total, millions upon millions of pounds will be wasted over the festive period and while recycling rates in the UK have improved dramatically over the last few years, there is still much scope for further improvement.
When you consider that over 230 tonnes of food will end up in the bin over the next few weeks it is difficult to understand exactly where all of this waste can be placed within the UK. There needs to be more focus on recycling in the New Year even thought the UK government has been relatively successful in this area of late. Do you really do your bit for the recycling industry?
Share this..
Related stories
Christmas gifts stuck in the winter weather
Over the last couple of days, as the weather in the UK begins to turn, it is becoming more and more apparent that many Christmas gifts, parcels and food deliveries are being held up by the UK climate. Subzero temperatures around the UK, reaching -16°C in the north of Scotland yesterday, have not only impacted upon the postal service's ability to deliver goods but also delivery of items to superma...
Read MoreTrading standards officers highlight short measures
Trading standards officers in Birmingham have highlighted that in their opinion 9 out of 10 pints they tested in the Birmingham area were in effect short measures. They found that the average pint was 3.94% short which equates to around £400 million in additional revenue (if replicated across the UK) which UK drinkers are paying for drink which they do not receive. Indeed one "pint" was said to b...
Read MoreCash for gold firms to be investigated by the OFT
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has today announced an investigation into the various cash for gold firms trading in the UK. Since the price of gold hit record highs we are seeing more and more adverts on the TV and in the popular press offering the chance to sell unwanted gold jewellery for cash. However, recently the OFT has received a spate of complaints about the price some customers have rec...
Read MoreRising cost of living squeezes family disposable income
It has been revealed that between 2007, when the credit crunch began, and 2008 the cost of living for a family in the UK increased from £459 a week to £471 a week. This is a 2.6% increase despite the fact that unemployment has been rising, incomes have been falling and more and more families are falling into the debt trap. So what is behind the rise in the cost of living in the UK? There is n...
Read MoreBritish Gas doubles boiler scrappage scheme offer
Despite the fact that the UK government has introduced a boiler scrappage scheme which will see up to £400 off the cost of a new boiler system, British Gas has gone one better by matching the UK government's offer. So in effect, British Gas customers could be in for a £800 reduction on the cost of a new boiler simply by scrapping their old and potentially inefficient boiler for a more up-to-date...
Read More