15% of food purchased during COVID-19 lockdown thrown away – survey

The key reason behind the significant food waste was excess food preparation, likely due to eating only at home for a lengthy period of time, while another major cause was expiration dates.

By EYTAN HALON
A man wearing gloves and a scarf covering his nose and mouth leaves after shopping at a supermarket ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Jerusalem April 7, 2020. (photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
A man wearing gloves and a scarf covering his nose and mouth leaves after shopping at a supermarket ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Jerusalem April 7, 2020.
(photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
Faced with no choice but to remain at home during the recent coronavirus lockdown, many Israelis increasingly viewed their kitchen and dining table as their places of refuge.
As expenditure on food increased, a new survey published by food rescue organization Leket Israel shows that the quantity of food thrown away increased significantly too.
According to the May survey, some 61% of respondents reported discarding as much as 15% of their food during the lockdown period. Over half of Israelis – approximately 55% – believe they discarded some NIS 300 worth of food every week.
The key reason behind the significant food waste was excess food preparation, the nonprofit said, likely due to eating only at home for a lengthy period of time. Another major cause was the expiration of food before it could be used, with only one-fifth of respondents reporting that they checked expiration dates since the outbreak of the crisis.
Some 69% of the Israeli public said their expenditure on food had increased since the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown, with 35% of Israelis estimating that they spent NIS 100-200 more on fruit and vegetables per week. Those with an average or above-average income were those who most significantly increased their weekly food expenditure, the survey found.
“During the coronavirus crisis and over the course of the quarantine period, many Israelis were spending more on groceries than anticipated, at the same time as an especially large percentage of them were dealing with a sudden loss of income,” Leket Israel CEO Gidi Kroch told The Jerusalem Post.
“Despite this and despite their best intentions, they were still throwing out an average of NIS 300 of food per week due to a variety of reasons, including expiration dates and poor food storage,” Kroch said.
“Educating consumers on food safety regulations will go a long way to ensuring that both food and money don’t go to waste, especially in a time of crisis when many people are thrown into a dire financial situation. Instituting a government policy on food rescue is the best way to eliminate food insecurity in Israel and it will prove beneficial across the board.”
More than half of the population (55%) reported spending more than NIS 500 per week on fruit and vegetables, the survey revealed, although the figure varied significantly according to age group.
Among those age 55 and over, 69% of respondents said their weekly fruit and vegetable expenditure exceeded NIS 500, compared to 59% of 35-54 year olds and only 46% of those age 18-34.
Rising expenditure was also identified for other goods, with 56% reporting an increase in the purchase of dairy products, approximately 43% describing an increase in baked goods and poultry and 36% reporting an increase in the purchase of pasta. Only 8.8% reported an increase in the purchase of alcoholic beverages and wine.