Food Waste Action Week 2025 - Buy Loose, Waste Less

The biggest factor in keeping your fruit and vegetables fresher for longer is correct storage! All fruits and vegetables should be stored in the fridge at a temperature below 5°C, apart from bananas, whole pineapples, and onions. WRAP’s research has shown that loose apples kept in the fridge had their edible life extended by 69 days and loose potatoes by 90 days! (Helping people to reduce fresh produce waste | WRAP)

Pricing will vary retailer to retailer and will depend on promotions which may be running at any given time. That said, these days most retailers are keen to ensure their loose fruit and veg offerings are priced at the same level as their packaged counterparts. What we can say for definite is that where buying loose allows you to buy more closely to the needs of your home, it will be better value as you are less likely to end up binning food that hasn’t been used in time. Fresh fruit and vegetables are among the most highly wasted foods in the UK, with 2.9 million potatoes and 1 million whole bananas thrown away each day – and we know that wasted food costs the average family with children around £80 per month.