New food waste toolkit launches for Buckinghamshire residents

Buckinghamshire Council has introduced a new food waste toolkit to help local households get the best value for money out of their food shopping. The new toolkit is part of a package of wide-ranging support the council has put in place to help counter the impact of high costs, high inflation and high energy prices that are affecting everyone.

For those facing hardship targeted help is available through the council’s Helping Hand service – measures like the new food waste toolkit are designed to help everyone to make their money go further.

Estimates show the average family of four could save £60 each month by reducing food waste, as well as lowering the negative impact that food waste has on the planet. Buckinghamshire homes produce at least 30,000 tonnes of food waste every year, enough to fill 250,000 wheelie bins, and two thirds of that is edible!

The food waste toolkit gives some simple facts and advice about food waste and how to reduce it in your home, ultimately to help more local people save money and make their food shop go further. The new toolkit is now live on the council’s website within the dedicated ‘cost of living’ section, which gives full information on what help, advice and support is available around the cost of living, and how to access it.

Importantly too, the toolkit includes information on where residents can find their nearest community fridge – a space with fridges and freezers where local people and businesses can donate fresh, good quality surplus food that would otherwise be wasted; the donated food is then made freely available for local people to collect.

The toolkit also tells people how to set up a community fridge in their area, including how to access food to fill it, for free.

Steve Bowles is Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities. He said:

“The rise in the cost of living has impacted everyone, across the board. We know food prices in particular have gone up sharply and that’s why the council sees this toolkit as an important as part of our overall package of help. While much of the advice is common sense, it pulls information and tips together into one handy place and I am sure anyone reading and using the toolkit might change their behaviours and be able to save more money on food.

“I also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of our Helping Hand service and the advice that’s available on our website. The cost of living pressures are impacting us all in varying degrees and help is there for a whole range of need, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch, whatever situation you find yourself in.”