Bucks Council launches new food waste campaign

Residents across the county are advised to use a free food and waste management app, to save money and help the planet.

The local authority has provided data showing that Bucks residents are throwing away 32% of their food every year.

Further data shows UK households are binning 6.6 million tonnes of waste a year, almost three quarters of that being could have been eaten.

Bucks Council states that the average family can save up to £720 a year by cutting down on food waste.

Kitche is the app the council is pointing residents towards, advising it is easy to use as well as free.

People import food from their shopping receipts on to the app which then reminds them to use the food they have, and suggests recipes to help them do so.

The app and Kitche Platform website also has more ‘life hacks’ and advice on how busy families can shop effectively.

Councillor Peter Strachan said: “We spend hundreds of thousands of pounds disposing of food waste each year in Buckinghamshire.

"Most of it could have been eaten, so I am really excited about working with Kitche on this innovative project. I want to help residents reduce food waste, benefiting their pockets and the council’s budget.

"I think our work with Kitche can do it.”

As well as encouraging people to download the app, Bucks Council will promote Kitche recipes and advice on all its communication platforms.

This could include online cookery classes.

Kitche co- founder and CEO Lynsey Scott said: "With food prices going up it's more critical than ever to find ways in which we can help people manage their food consumption habits.

"I co-founded Kitche when conversations with friends left us all horrified at how much usable food we were all throwing away and became determined to do something about it. Whether you want to help save the planet, live a more sustainable life, or just plain and simply cut down on your food bills we believe our easy-to-use tech can help you do so.”