Despite actions to reduce food waste, New Zealand households still throw away more than NZD 543 million worth of fruit, vegetables, bread, and meat annually.
The top reason for waste is food going off before best-by or use-by dates, with bread, leftovers and fruit and vegetables being among the most discarded items.
Love Food Hate Waste NZ has introduced a practical solution: a Reusable Eat Me Sticker. This intends to combat this issue and reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030.
“New Zealand is known for its world-class produce, yet we throw away NZD 290 million worth of it every year simply because we let it go off before it can be eaten,” said Love Food Hate Waste NZ’s Juno Scott-Kelly.
“Working to change this behaviour, our reusable Eat Me First stickers are a simple and effective product that acts as a visual prompt to remind people about food that needs to be used up.”
The stickers are designed to stick onto a fridge or pantry shelf and distinguish older and newer versions of the same product. This will help items get eaten before they go off while letting friends or family know what can be taken to work or school.
Eat Me First Reusable stickers seek to instil a culture of mindfulness and conscientiousness regarding food consumption and storage.
By actively identifying and consuming items closest to expiration, individuals could save upwards of NZD 1,510 a year.
“With food price inflation hitting a rate that has not been seen in 30 years in the middle of 2023, we know Kiwi families are hurting the most when it comes to their grocery bills,” said Scott-Kelly.
“The reusable Eat Me First Sticker has been designed to help reduce the cost and waste from the food we purchase.”
Reducing food waste will save New Zealanders NZD 3.2 billion a year, decrease methane emissions from landfills, and benefit the environment.
The free stickers can be found online or in supermarkets to encourage New Zealanders to reduce waste.
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