New Zealand’s first Zero Food Waste Challenge runs from 19-25 September and interested Kiwis can register now.
Kiwis are throwing away $3.1 billion annually in food waste, that’s $1,520 per household. And it’s coming from homes, not businesses.
Countdown is getting behind efforts to tackle one of the planet’s most pressing social and environmental issues and is encouraging Kiwis and Kiwi businesses to do the same as part of the inaugural Zero Food Waste Challenge.
The week-long challenge, which kicks off on 19 September, aims to put the growing issue of food waste on the map with food rescue charities across Aotearoa coming together to give Kiwis the tools and support they need to address the problem.
Founder of the Zero Food Waste Challenge, Veronica Shale (pictured above) says that Kiwi households contribute the largest proportion of food waste in New Zealand.
“Eighty-six per cent of Kiwis believe that wasting food is wrong, but with so much information around it’s hard to know where to start. The Challenge is all about supporting Kiwis to do what they can to reduce their food waste and partnering with Countdown has given us the boost we need to make it happen.” Says Shale.
Countdown is as a long-time supporter of more than 25 food rescue charities around the country so the supermarket jumped at
the chance to sponsor the challenge and focused on meeting our zero food waste to landfill goal. Store teams are not only working to put good food aside for donation each day, but also undertaking other food rescue initiatives like turning yesterday’s baguettes into garlic bread, overripe bananas into banana bread and unsold cooked chickens into sandwich fillings.
New Zealand’s first Zero Food Waste Challenge runs from 19 – 25 September and interested Kiwis can register here to take part or make a financial contribution to their local food rescue by rounding up their purchase at the Countdown checkout.
