Sheffield revealed among the UK areas with the worst food waste awareness
A new study has revealed the UK areas with the least concern about food waste, with Sheffield ranking ninth.
The study, conducted by food waste experts at JS Proputec, analysed the average number of monthly Google searches in each city and town in the UK for terms related to managing food waste, such as ‘how to reduce food waste.’ They compared the number of searches to each location’s population to determine those with the lowest number of searches per 100,000 residents, revealing which areas have the worst food waste awareness.
Sheffield ranks ninth overall, with just 53.61 searches per 100,000 residents for terms related to food waste. This is 64% less than the highest ranking city, highlighting the lack of food waste knowledge in Sheffield.
The UK cities and towns with the worst food waste awareness
- Leicester (30.13 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Rotherham (32.38 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Nottingham (33.63 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Cambridge (36.01 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Watford (38.07 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Bradford (40.92 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Northampton (45.86 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Southampton (48.74 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Sheffield (53.61 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
- Slough (53.94 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people)
Leicester has the lowest food waste awareness in the UK, with just 30.13 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people.
Rotherham is second, with 32.28 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 residents.
Nottingham takes third place, with 33.63 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
Cambridge places fourth, with 36.01 monthly searches per 100,000, followed by Watford and Bradford, at 38.07 and 40.92, respectively. Northampton ranked seventh, while Southampton followed in eighth place. Sheffield and Slough rounded out the top ten.
The UK area with the most food waste awareness is Worcester, with 146.97 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 residents, almost five times Leicester’s rate. Closely following are Cheltenham and Bournemouth, with 113.41 and 111.76 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
Anders Rytter Madsen, a spokesperson for JS Proputec , said:
"These results highlight significant regional disparities in food waste awareness across the UK. The cities with lower search volumes may benefit from targeted educational campaigns about reducing food waste.
"Effective food waste management is crucial not just for environmental sustainability but also for economic reasons. Many UK households waste substantial amounts of food annually, creating both an environmental impact and unnecessary financial burden that could be reduced through improved awareness and better management practices."