18 Feb 2026
Food Waste Action Week is a chance to rethink what we throw away
At Cory, we see what gets thrown away every day, and we know that the most sustainable waste is the waste that never appears in the first place. Food Waste Action Week is a timely reminder that small choices at home can add up to a big environmental impact.
It’s funny how quickly a lettuce can go from something promising at the checkout to something forgotten at the back of the fridge. Half-used veg lurks in drawers, leftovers in containers, and soon enough we tip uneaten food into the bin without much thought.
That’s exactly where Food Waste Action Week comes in. This year’s campaign runs from March 9-15, and it’s a great reminder for us that wasting food has real consequences for our wallets and our local environment, as well as the planet.
Why food waste matters
When we throw food away, we’re not just losing that meal (or money), we’re wasting water, energy, and land, as well as the effort that went into growing, transporting, packaging, and cooking it. Unbelievably, around a third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. Here in the UK, a large chunk of that comes from regular households.
The implications go beyond the kitchen bin. Food that ends up in landfill sites releases greenhouse gases as it breaks down. That adds to the climate challenge we’re all already worrying about.
Cutting down on food waste isn’t just kinder to your budget, it’s a great way of reducing emissions and conserving resources.
Getting practical
Talking about food waste is one thing, but taking action feels better, and it’s simpler than you might think.
We’ve got plenty of opportunities to rethink our food habits:
- Take stock before shopping so you don’t buy on impulse and end up with more than you need.
- Plan meals around what’s already in your cupboards. That half-bag of carrots and nearly empty tub of yoghurt deserve their moment too.
- Use your freezer: mashed veg, leftover rice or cooked meals all freeze well.
- Compost peelings, cores and food scraps. Even a small home composter can turn waste into rich soil for your garden.
Just noticing and then doing something different the next time you reach for a recipe or decide what to throw away can make all the difference.
A ripple effect
What’s great about Food Waste Action Week is how it brings people together around a shared goal. Schools can talk about food and its journey from farm to fork. Cafés and takeaways can rethink portion sizes and packaging. Families can turn leftover night into a weekly ritual.
Cutting food waste is also a social one. Sharing meals, using leftovers creatively, and passing on excess food to your neighbours. These are actions that build community, not just reduce waste.
A small habit that goes a long way
Food Waste Action Week teaches us that the things we do every day matter. A little planning. A bit of awareness. An extra minute in the kitchen to repurpose yesterday’s dinner into today’s lunch. These seem like modest steps, but over time they shift how we live.
Food waste isn’t just a household issue, it affects the whole waste system. When edible food ends up in the bin, it adds weight and volume to residual waste collections and creates avoidable emissions as it breaks down.
Cutting food waste means less “black bag” waste to handle overall, lower impact across the collection and treatment chain, and more progress towards a cleaner, more resource-efficient future. And where food waste can’t be avoided, separating it properly helps ensure it can be treated in the best way possible, instead of being mixed in with general waste.
So, this March, take a moment to watch what goes into your bin. Look at what’s being wasted and think about one thing you could do differently next week. It might just save you some money too.
Find out more about Food Waste Action Week. For more information on what Cory is doing, take a look at our partnerships page and our Bexley Eco & Wellness Fest.
Further Reading
Zero Waste Week: Simple steps, big impact
Preventing waste and growing the reuse economy
Community partnerships making a difference for a greener Bexley