Warwickshire is thrilled to support Love Food Hate Waste's Food Waste Action Week, running from 9 to 15 March 2026.
Food Waste Action Week is the flagship annual event delivered by the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s (WRAP) Love Food Hate Waste. Each year, the campaign unites national and local governments, community groups, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and brands around the world for action on food waste. The week inspires simple, practical, action that helps food go further - saving money, time and stress.
The impact of household food waste on the environment
Every year, 4.4 million tonnes of edible food is thrown away from UK homes, generating 16 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. The total cost of food waste is a staggering £17 billion per year which is £1,000 a year for a family of four.
At a time of rising costs, reducing food waste is one of the fastest, simplest ways to support households through a few simple changes that give back both to their pocket and our planet.
Across Warwickshire, most district or borough councils either provide a separate food waste collection using a kitchen caddy (often with a weekly collection) or require food waste to be placed in a Green Bin garden waste service, which is typically collected fortnightly and may be subscription-based.
Rugby Borough Council will be implementing a new separate food waste collection service in Summer 2026, bringing it in line with areas that already collect food waste separately.
Make your food go ‘fuuuurther’
In 2026, Food Waste action Week’s theme is ‘Make your food go fuuuurther: for your pocket, for our planet.’
By preventing, using up food waste and recycling anything that can’t be eaten, we can unlock more value from the food we already have by helping it stretch further.
On each day of Food Waste Action Week, Love Food Hate Waste will give you tips to make your food go further:
- Monday: For your money
- Tuesday: For your time
- Wednesday: For our planet
- Thursday: For your health
- Friday: For your headspace
Cllr Darren Cheshire, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture, said: “Food Waste Action Week is a timely reminder that small changes at home can make a real difference to household budgets. With the cost of living still a concern for many families, making the most of the food we buy is one of the simplest ways to cut unnecessary spending.
“When the average family of four is throwing away around £1,000 worth of food each year, that’s money which could be better spent on essentials, activities, or saved for the future. Planning meals, storing food correctly and using up leftovers are straightforward steps that can quickly add up to meaningful savings.
“By getting behind Love Food Hate Waste’s ‘Make your food go fuuuurther’ message, we’re encouraging residents to unlock better value from their weekly shop and keep more money in their pockets.”
Dr Sam Hubble, Specialist for Food System Transformation at WRAP, said: “Eat what you buy, and love every mouthful. It’s a win-win: it’s saving money, it’s saving resources, and it’s a simple thing that we can all do to save the planet. Food needs to go in bellies, not bins.”
Follow along this week with Warwickshire Recycles on Facebook or Instagram for practical tips and advice how to make your food go fuuuuurther.
- On Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/warwickshire_recycles/
- On Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/warwickshirerecycles
Residents can find out where their recycling goes and the types of products it goes on to be remade into by visiting www.warwickshire.gov.uk/whereitgoes
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is working towards a more sustainable future, visit: https://www.sustainablewarwickshire.co.uk/