Fruit and vegetables have emerged as by far the most wasted food at Christmas following a survey commissioned by short-term loan provider Satsuma Loans.
Over 45 per cent of households said they throw away excess amounts of fresh produce, with bakery goods (20 per cent) and meat (19 per cent) following in second and third place.
The report revealed that the average UK household is likely to have spent an extra £100 on food in December 2018, with at least £16 of that going straight in the bin.
If this average is applied to the UK as a whole, it amounts to a potential food waste total of £444 million.
When it comes to the reasons for this high level of food waste at Christmas, a fifth of respondents said they think they buy too much food, while a further 20 per cent said bad planning was the main cause.
Some 10 per cent said dining out was causing food to go out of date at home, and seven per cent admitted to not reusing their Christmas dinner leftovers.
Satsuma Loans offered shoppers several tips for a more sustainable Christmas, namely planning ahead, composting, using local, organic and free-range produce, recycling, favouring quality over quantity and storing food correctly so it lasts longer.
The survey, which was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Satsuma Loans, involved 2,000 UK adults who celebrate Christmas.
