1.4 billion hectares of land, that’s 28% of the world’s agricultural area, is used to produce food that doesn’t even make it to the consumer or is wasted by consumers, restaurants, supermarkets etc.

There’s more to food waste than meets the eye. As well as the impact that it can have on our personal bank balances, there’s a huge environmental impact.

Not only could that land be used more efficiently, the nutrients in the soil are depleted through the waste, the water used to irrigate the land is wasted, the resources used and the energy required to power them have their own impact.

We needn’t feel powerless in the face of these huge and shocking global statistics. Instead we can look at what change is possible at home to reduce how much of what we’re buying goes to waste. We can vote with our wallets too, choosing to buy rescued fruit and veg from the likes of Oddbox, to buy food that would go to waste using apps like Olio and Too Good to Go, to buy local produce.