SINGAPORE — While statistics do not paint a complete picture, the recent Electrolux Food Waste At Home Survey has unearthed some surprising trends.

On average, the younger generation, those aged 18 to 24, is slightly more wasteful than those aged 45 to 54 — even if the former is more aware that poor meal planning is one of the causes.

And while women are more kitchen confident than men (73 per cent compared with 65 per cent), only a fraction more females think about food waste. It also found that 69 per cent of the 1,000 respondents claimed to be passionate foodies, but 41 per cent of this group only think about food waste occasionally.

Regarding food waste in the food service industry, chef Eric Low feels he has an individual responsibility to be aware of food waste issues, but stressed that we all have a part to play.

“We’re a nation of foodies but, inevitably, that can lead to food waste. One of the biggest causes I see is over-ordering. People order too much food for the table to ensure they have enough. They forget that restaurants allow you to add on, but you cannot return the extra food to the kitchen once it is prepared and served.”

Nichol Ng, founder of The Food Bank Singapore, posited how relative affordability could also be feeding the problem. “In general, food in Singapore is not that expensive; for US$2 (S$2.80), you can still get a hot meal,” she said, even though most foods are imported. “Potentially, this could be responsible for the abundance of food wastage.”

But not every one is as privileged, she noted. “There are hardly any facts and figures highlighting the issue of food waste. Some people simply do not realise the amount that we throw away or why we throw away ... Importantly, 10 per cent of people have difficulty putting food on the table. If you marry the two facts together, we can definitely find ways to feed the hungry rather than illogically dumping good food.” DON MENDOZA