Stop Food Waste Day is an international day. It recognises the problem of food waste and the negative impact it has on the planet. It aims to raise awareness of the issue and how big it is. Stop Food Waste Day UK also advises on preventing food waste. In this article, we’ll be explaining what Stop Food Waste Day is, when it will take place in 2025, why it’s important to recognise it and how you can celebrate it yourself. Here’s everything you need to know about Stop Food Waste Day in the UK.

What is Stop Food Waste Day?

Stop Food Waste Day was started in 2017 by Compass Group USA. It aims to ensure that households and businesses prevent food waste. It encourages people to do this, not just on Stop Food Waste Day, but every day moving forward. Stop Food Waste Day UK makes people aware of the detrimental effects food waste has on the planet globally. It does this by giving you some ideas for food waste prevention. The idea is that food waste prevention happens every day and not just on one day a year. It’s a day that, despite being started in the USA, is now internationally recognised. This way, people from around the world can come together to educate, inspire make a change together.

When is Stop Food Waste Day in the UK?

Stop Food Waste in the UK takes place on 30th April 2025. Stop Food Waste Day UK takes place on the last Wednesday of April every year. As such, the exact date may change year-on-year.

Is food waste a problem?

So, what is the problem with food waste? Especially seeing as food will decompose, unlike plastic, for instance. According to Earth.org, there are actually many ways in which food waste can damage the environment. Let’s delve deeper into why food waste is so problematic, not just now, but also in the future:

It contributes to climate change

Food rots, and when it rots, it emits gases into the atmosphere. The gas primarily emitted is methane, and it’s 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide. In fact, when methane is released, it hangs about in the atmosphere for 12 years, trapping heat from the sun. In addition, methane accounts for 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste is only adding to this.

This is further solidified by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. It found that a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions came from food waste alone. Armed with these statistics, if we put a food waste prevention plan in place, it has the potential to stop 11% of global greenhouse gases being emitted.

It can waste natural resources

Something all of our food needs, in some form or another, is water. Every stage of food production, from meat and fish to fruit and vegetables, requires copious amounts of water to stay alive. Agriculture accounts for 70% of the water used throughout the world. The act of wasting food also means that we have wasted fresh water – a double whammy. There are many countries suffering from water shortages, with some countries being predicted to be uninhabitable because of it. By stopping food waste, we’re also mitigating water waste in the process.

It involves the degradation of land

Agriculture uses 11.5 million hectares of the global land surface, according to AVRIS. The industry claims that there are two different types of land: arable and non-arable. Arable land refers to land that has the ability to grow crops, whereas non-arable land cannot. As such, arable land is used solely for meat and dairy production, as it’s ideal for livestock to roam.

With a rise in meat demand, the demand for land rises along with it, and that’s when deforestation happens. It also means that arable land is being taken over, despite it being ripe and ready for growing fruits and vegetables. The gradually degrades our land, turning beautiful, healthy landscapes into mud fields with little greenery left for crop growing or insect habitats.

It can harm biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the wildlife and organisms that live in our environment and ecosystem, and food waste can cause harm to those ecosystems. Earth.org claims that agriculture in general causes harm to biodiversity, especially with the use of monocropping and the conversion of wild lands into pastures for cattle. This can also include deforestation, therefore displacing millions of creatures and insects from their natural habitats.

Not only does this make them vulnerable, but it also eradicates prey for other animals in the area, which is why we often see a decline in animal numbers as a result of deforestation. Marine life is no different. There are large quantities of fish being caught, therefore causing the decimation of marine ecosystems.

However, despite there being a decrease in marine life population in general, the global fish market and demand have increased annually, on average. Despite this, Europe alone wastes around 40-60% of fish simply because they don’t meet the standards of supermarkets. Not only are we causing problems to ecosystems on land, but also to marine life. In turn, this affects vegetable and fruit crops because of a decline in insects.

According to the Natural History Museum, the insect population has declined by 60% in 20 years. As such, there are fewer creatures to pollinate our flowers and plants, having a detrimental impact on the fruit and vegetable market, as well as the meat and fish markets.

How to celebrate Stop Food Waste Day in 2025

Now that we’re aware of why taking part in Stop Food Waste Day is important, you might now be wondering what you can do at home or at work to help prevent food waste. Don’t just practice these on the 30th of April. Bring these tips forward into your everyday life and endeavour to get into the habit of following these food waste reduction tips indefinitely. Here’s how you can celebrate Stop Food Waste Day UK:

Use up leftovers

If you have leftover food, make sure you’re using it up. Check the dates on the food you used initially to ensure it hasn’t already gone past its use-by date. From planning your meals to using up things you’ve opened to eating some leftover chilli from the night before as part of your lunch, try your best to use up leftover food rather than throwing it in the bin.

Create a compost heap in the garden

A compost heap in the garden is a great way of disposing of food waste in the comfort of your own home. It’s free to do and it can create some nutrient-rich compost that you can use on your plants and flowers come spring and summer. Not only are you helping to save the planet, but you’re also saving money when it comes to buying quality compost for your garden.

Don’t overspend on your food shop

Overbuying food can contribute to food waste, mainly because you’re buying more than you can get through in a reasonable timeframe. To avoid overspending, plan your meals and only buy what you need. Freezing food and defrosting it, following the instructions on the packaging, is also a great way to prevent bread from going mouldy, for instance. There are many food items you can freeze, so check the label to see what you can preserve in a healthy manner to prevent food waste.

Donate food to a food bank

If you have food in your cupboard that you know you won’t use, donate it to a food bank. You need to make sure that you’re adhering to their rules, however. You cannot donate expired food or fresh food. Cans, tins and generally dry foods are fine to donate to food banks if you know you won’t use them. Take a look here to see what you can donate to a food bank and what you can’t.

Attend a Stop Food Waste Day event

There may well be a special Stop Food Waste Day event being put on by your Local Authority or even a community centre near you. You might also find that your children’s school will give a nod to the occasion. With the effects of food waste being more obvious than ever before, you’re bound to find an event close by that you can get involved with.

Willshee’s is a dedicated waste management company that provides domestic and commercial clients with expert waste management solutions. From skip hire and grab hire to hazardous waste disposal and everything in between, look to Willshee’s for your every waste management need. For further information, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.