News

Farmers more appreciated during COVID-19 restrictions

By Jamie Salter

Jul 14, 2020

Households are wasting less food in the COVID-19 shutdown, according to a new study released by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The new social research showed 86 per cent of people were glad to live in a country that grows its own food and 70 per cent appreciated farmers more.

NSW DPIE Love Food Hate Waste program manager Amanda Kane said the research showed adversity had helped NSW households appreciate where food comes from.

“People are wasting less food, they’re making the most of the food they buy and they are really valuing the role of our food producers and our country’s food supply chain more,” she said.

“Given the impacts of food waste on the environment, including emissions from landfill and the waste of resources in growing food only to throw it away, these findings pave the way for us all to maintain these habits which waste less food.”

The research was undertaken by social research company Instinct and Reason in May, and involved 415 households.

The survey showed NSW households were practising good food waste behaviours during the shutdown, such as planning meals, storing food correctly and using up leftovers.

About 59 per cent said they were determined to waste less food due to the lockdown experience and 67 per cent said they would continue to consider the best way to store food.It also showed that they intended to keep up these practices in the future.

Download the Food Management in COVID-19 findings from the Love Food Hate Waste website at: www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/about-us/research