A new national survey commissioned to mark World Earth Day (22nd April) has revealed that almost two thirds (64%) of Irish adults are not aware that reducing food waste is the number one solution to fighting climate change.

Commissioned by the world’s largest anti-food waste app, Too Good To Go - which launched in Ireland six months ago - the survey investigated Irish adults’ attitudes and behaviours towards food waste and their understanding of its contribution to climate change.

The results showed that Irish consumers are overwhelmingly food waste conscious - with 87% of those surveyed saying they consider the environmental impact when throwing food away.

Regionally, Corkians are the most food waste conscious with 91% of locals saying they think of the environmental impact of their food, compared to 80% of Limerick residents at the lower end.

The survey also revealed that almost all (99%) Irish adults are currently doing something to reduce their food waste - with just under half (49%) saying they pre-plan their meals every week.

However, only a quarter (28%) of Irish adults think food waste, or waste from the food industry, is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with 40% thinking it’s the aviation industry. When in truth, food waste causes 4% more global greenhouse gas emissions than the aviation industry.

These results come as Too Good To Go marks its six month anniversary in Ireland, having launched in Dublin last October. Since then, the food saving app has expanded to Cork and Galway, with a full nationwide roll-out due in the summer.

To date in Ireland, the app has amassed a growing community of 125,000 users and 550 partner businesses including major names like The Butler’s Pantry, SPAR, KC Peaches and Fresh. And together, over 60,000 Magic Bags of excess food have been saved from going to waste in Ireland via the Too Good To Go app, resulting in a saving of 150,000kg of CO2e emissions - equivalent to the CO2 emitted by 30 flights around the world.

For more information on Too Good To Go in Ireland head to www.toogoodtogo.ie or @toogoodtogo.ie

ENDS

Notes To Editors

Survey results taken from a survey of 504 nationally representative ROI adults conducted by Markettiers on behalf of Too Good To Go between 07.04.2022-13.04.2022.

Source: Project Drawdown

ABOUT TOO GOOD TO GO

Too Good To Go has a simple mission: to make sure all food gets eaten, not wasted.

In 2016, a group of entrepreneurs witnessed restaurant staff throwing away fresh food. The food’s only problem? It hadn’t sold in time, and no one was around to take it off the restaurant’s hands. The group pioneered a seamless solution: an app that lists businesses’ unsold food so local diners can find, buy and enjoy it.

Now, thousands of Surprise Bags are rescued from businesses such as supermarkets, restaurants, and bakeries every day. The success of the app powers Too Good To Go’s wider efforts to drive a food waste movement, working with schools, industries and governments to build a planet-friendly food system.

Find out more at https://toogoodtogo.ie/en-ie or visit us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.