The leftovers pushed to the back of the fridge. The vegetables bought with good intentions. The fruit nobody got around to eating.
Logan City Council is taking aim at the grocery money disappearing into rubbish bins, joining a national campaign to help households waste less food.
“A lot of us think we’re pretty good at managing food, but data shows we’re throwing out a lot more than we realise,” Mayor Jon Raven said.
“It’s a huge, hidden cost for many local families.”
The council has partnered with The Great Unwaste, an initiative developed by End Food Waste Australia to reduce household food waste by more than 20% by 2030.
The organisation estimates Australian households waste around $2500 worth of food a year on average — money spent on groceries that are never eaten.
“It could be things like leftovers that never get eaten, fruit or veggies that get forgotten or packaged food that goes past its best before date,” Cr Raven said.
Across Australia, households discard about 2.5 million tonnes of food annually, figures cited by council show.
Along with the food goes the water, energy and other resources used to grow, transport and prepare it.
The campaign’s message is that small changes to everyday routines can help.
Its seven priority habits include planning meals, shopping with a list, storing food correctly, using older ingredients first, making use of leftovers, cooking the right amount and serving smaller portions.
End Food Waste Australia chief executive Tristan Butt said busy lives were part of the challenge.
“Australians aren’t wasting food on purpose — they’re just busy and juggling work, family and rising costs,” he said in a national campaign announcement.
For suitable scraps, the council also offers a rebate of up to $50 towards eligible composting equipment and worm farms.
The rebate is limited to one claim per residence, requires proof of purchase and residency, and is paid through a digital debit card.
The council will share food-saving advice through its website and social media.
Find tips at logan.qld.gov.au/food-waste and application details on the council’s compost rebate page.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date with news from across Logan. You’ll receive a link to our digital newspaper direct to your inbox each week. It’s free.
