In a recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bosch home appliances, respondents revealed their weekly food waste habits.
The survey found that there is at least $102 worth of product in respondents refrigerator at any given time. However, the average American tosses nearly $54 in spoiled food each week, totaling $2,798 every year.
On average, respondents said they toss four spoiled items from their refrigerator every week, equating to 103 pounds a year.
The most common wasted items:
- strawberries (50%)
- apples (47%)
- leafy greens (44%)
- potatoes (43%)
- meat (43%)
At least 73% of respondents say they feel guilty about the unnecessary waste, with 77% percent attributing tossed items to forgetting they are in the fridge or losing them among clutter. Meanwhile, 65% say the waste is due to a lack of organization or space in the fridge.
“These results show the significant impact that unnecessary food waste has on our everyday lives, those around us, and our wallets,” says Anja Prescher, Director of Brand Marketing at Bosch home appliances. “We believe the refrigerator should work harder for you to help prevent this waste, and our new freestanding Bosch French door bottom mount refrigeration collection is designed to help prevent food waste by keeping your food organized and fresher longer.”
Ways to reduce food waste in the home:
- Keep items in view - Three in four Americans blame waste on either forgetting that certain items are in their refrigerator or losing them in the clutter. However, proper lighting and shelving design can make a big difference.
- Be thoughtful about organization - While 67 percent of Americans view themselves as being organized, one in four Americans also readily admit that their fridge is unorganized.
- Use technology to your advantage - With 71 percent of Americans wishing their refrigerator kept their food fresh longer, the four-point FarmFresh System™ from Bosch keeps food fresh up to three times longer, for less food wasted.
- Get friendly with your freezer - 52 percent of Americans agree they wastefully toss out food because it will spoil before they have a chance to eat it. In these instances, the freezer can help extend the life of ingredients and make weeknight meals easier. An organized freezer helps keep food visible, so it doesn’t get buried and forgotten.
