One of New Zealand’s most successful sporting stars is backing a campaign to encourage Kiwis to reduce their food waste.
Black Ferns rugby standout and Olympic Sevens champion Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is partnering with East Tamaki-based organisation KiwiHarvest and HelloFresh on the new national campaign.
It follows research showing Kiwis have made “significant progress” in reducing food waste by $300 million in the past year, from $3.2 billion to $2.9b.
Nearly half of all New Zealand households have taken action to reduce their food waste over the past 12 months.
The focus on reduction is driven by rising food prices, purchasing less food, and improved food storage practices.
Since partnering with HelloFresh in 2023, Woodman-Wickliffe has been actively championing the reduction of household food waste and she’s pleased to see the problem is reducing.
“It’s encouraging to see so many Kiwis doing the mahi at home to reduce food waste.
“By taking simple steps like meal planning, cooking the right portions and storing food properly we can make a huge difference.”
Of the 1,500 Kiwis recently surveyed, 60 per cent spend $200-$499 per week on food, up from 45 per cent in 2023.
That’s largely due to the rising costs of food, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables.
Those who spend less tend to be more mindful about waste, with 24 per cent of households spending under $100 per week reporting a significant reduction in food waste in the past year.
On average, an estimated nine per cent of a household’s weekly food shop goes to waste, equating to $1326 of food wasted per household per year.
New Zealanders aged 18-29 have the highest rate of food waste, with 12.3 per cent of their weekly food shop going to waste, compared to the national average of nine per cent.
KiwiHarvest chief executive Angela Calver emphasises the role of community involvement and the importance of reducing food waste for environmental sustainability.
“Food waste is not just a loss to our pockets, but also an undeniable environmental issue.
“We’re proud to have just reached the milestone of celebrating 13 million kg of food rescued and redistributed to vulnerable communities since we started up in 2012, but there’s so much more work to be done.
“We, alongside other food rescues in our sector, are experiencing significant funding cuts and growing demand for our services, so it’s equally as important for Kiwis to help relieve the pressure on the environment by doing their bit at home.”
HelloFresh NZ managing director Claudia Baptista-Fernandes commends the collective effort of both Kiwis and organisations like KiwiHarvest, highlighting how meal kits can play a role in reducing food waste.
“By partnering with organisations like KiwiHarvest, we’re tackling New Zealand’s food waste issue head-on by setting a gold standard for Kiwi households.
“Over the past year we’ve demonstrated that Kiwis are not afraid to step up to the mark.
“We’re challenging New Zealanders to set a goal for the next year to help reduce food waste by a further $300 million, at least.”