According to the survey, residents face challenges such as impulsive shopping habits and a lack of awareness about important information on food packaging
During COP28, the UAE National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, in partnership with the Behavioral Science Group, announced the results of a comprehensive nationwide household survey, marking a critical milestone in the fight against food waste.
According to a recent survey conducted in the UAE, 85 per cent of residents consider food waste a major concern for the nation. This percentage is higher than in other countries such as the UK. The survey had participation from 6,083 residents and it shows an appetite to reduce food waste in the country. This concern is significant because it hinders the achievement of national food security objectives and the fight against climate change. The survey also indicates that 67 per cent of citizens and 55 per cent of expatriates find it challenging to reduce food waste. The reason for this difficulty is that reducing food waste requires significant changes in everyday behaviours, which can be complex.
According to the survey, residents face challenges such as impulsive shopping habits and a lack of awareness about important information on food packaging. The survey found that 77 per cent of residents support municipal food waste collection, and 75 per cent support food waste inspections of businesses to tackle these problems. The survey also revealed opportunities for improvement, including collaboration with delivery apps and in-store interventions to reduce over-ordering.
Ne’ma aims to reduce food waste in the UAE by 50 per cent by 2030 in line with the UN SDGs and national food security priorities. The economic cost of food waste in the country is estimated at around Dh6 billion annually.
