Singapore has often been described as a food paradise. The cosmopolitan nature of the city-state means that variety is not an issue when it comes to food. Yet, for a country that loves its food, Singaporeans also waste tonnes of it.
According to a 2019 Singapore Environment Council study, it is believed that 1 in 3 Singaporeans throw away more than 10% of food weekly. From a Singaporean household perspective, that works out to throwing away an average of SGD 258 worth of unconsumed food a year. Across all households in the island nation, that amounts to about SGD 342 million of wasted food a year!
However, the situation does not seem to be improving. Food waste in the city-state has, in fact, grown by over 20% in the past decade. According to the National Environmental Agency, the total amount of food waste generated in Singapore in 2021 was 817,000 tonnes, which was 23% more than the 665,000 tonnes generated in 2020! These are astounding figures given how aware Singaporeans are about the impact of inflation in supermarkets, food courts, and local coffee shops among other places.
Many Singaporeans have been hit badly, especially by the latest wave of rising inflation and cost of living. Food, an inexplicably important aspect of Singaporeans’ lives, has not been spared from these rising costs. Despite the government’s efforts to control prices of food necessities and ensure Singapore’s food security, food will get more expensive – especially in the coming months.
This is especially concerning for lower-income households in Singapore, who face the real threat of household food insecurity. In a study by the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, which was supported by the Food Bank Singapore, over 10% of Singaporean households were identified to have experienced food insecurity in the 12 months prior to the start of the 2019 study i.e., these households have difficulties affording enough affordable or nutritious food.
These food-insecure households risk physical and mental health concerns due to poor nutrition. Rising prices will only exacerbate their food concerns.
Singaporeans are throwing food away unnecessarily
One major issue that causes many Singaporeans to throw away food unnecessarily is the lack of understanding of ’use-by’, ‘best-before’ and ‘date of expiry’ labels used on product packaging. A study found that 4 in 5 (80%) Singaporeans do not fully understand the differences between these labels and have been led to believe that foods cannot be kept past the dates stamped on the packaging. However, food can be consumed a few days to weeks after their ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates, although foods that are highly perishable such as yoghurts should not be kept past their post-expiry dates.
A travesty that results in Singaporeans unwittingly wasting food is ugly foods. Fruits and vegetables make up the most of food waste in Singapore. Much of these foods are perfectly edible. However, because they are misshapen, supermarkets and grocery outlets have difficulties in selling these food items.
The overbuying of food has also contributed to food waste in Singapore. Over-catering of food during events to ensure hospitality, bulk purchasing to enjoy discounts, and ordering too much food during meals all contribute to unnecessary food waste.
How governments and businesses can help tackle food waste
Government agencies such as the National Environment Agency (NEA), Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) have introduced initiatives to reduce the incidence of unnecessary food waste.
The Zero Waste Masterplan and guides for food and beverage outlets, supermarkets, and food manufacturers have been developed to aid food-related businesses reduce food waste from the onset. A greater focus on production processes, effective handling of perishables, and proper inventory management are some of the guidelines developed to prevent food waste from the start.
NEA as well as organisations such as Food Bank, UglyFood (a start-up dedicated to tackling the ugly food problem), and DBS have started initiatives to redistribute unsold/excess food to Singaporeans as part of their commitments to zero food waste. Retailers and manufacturers can help in the fight against food waste too, by offering a variety of portion sizes that meet individual requirements, instead of one standard size that everyone is compelled to buy even if they might not need it or end up wasting it.
In step with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and the eventual goal of environmental sustainability, Singapore has seen a growth of start-ups dedicated to finding new ways to manage food waste. Some start-ups have developed apps to link companies, hotels, and event organisers with leftover food to potential customers. Even simple initiatives such as a telegram channel can help match leftover food with hungry Singaporeans as seen with the popularity of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Buffet Response Telegram channel among NUS students.
Tech intervention to the rescue
More technologically advanced solutions towards reusing food waste are in the offing.
Stix Fresh, a novel innovation of placing stickers on fruits can prolong the freshness of these perishables by up to 2 weeks. The stickers create a barrier, a protective layer of sorts, that slows down the ripening process of fruits while also protecting them from fungal infection. The substance used is natural, identical to that found in plants so there is no harm to human health.
Lumitis, a tech start-up, offers a food waste management solution that uses data analytics to help commercial kitchens track and understand their wastage patterns. Another example of tech-enabled solutions is treatsure, Singapore’s first mobile reservation platform that connect those businesses and hotels who have surplus food to everyday consumers, thereby minimising food wastage.
Upcycling food technologies are also an innovative approach towards tackling food waste. According to the Upcycled Food Association, ‘Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment’. About time, considering that food waste accounts for 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Engineering students from Mapua University have used food waste to develop solar panels that are less dependent on visible sunlight. Using specific particles from unwanted food, these solar panels, already a pivotal green technology, can absorb UV light and generate electricity even during cloudy days.
How can citizens help?
Tech talk aside, individual Singaporeans also have an important role in managing unnecessary food waste. Aside from buying less/unnecessarily, dumpster diving has gained traction in Singapore. With so much ugly foods being thrown away, it is perfectly possible to rummage through supermarket and grocery stores dumpsters and find meals worth of perfectly edible fruits and vegetables. It is also an effective money-saving strategy.
There is also action that can be taken at the community level. Foodscape Collective, for example, is a community of enthusiasts with a shared goal of creating sustainable and resilient food systems. Among their many initiatives, key ones include facilitating the redistribution of excess/yet-to-expire food and composting of kitchen scraps. Awareness of such initiatives is critical considering less than one in six Singaporeans are aware of the country’s food wastage problem.
Preserving Singapore’s food heritage
Food security, food affordability, and food wastage are critical concerns for Singapore going forward. Despite being in a country that values food so much, Singaporeans currently find it far too easy to toss away perfectly good food. If Singapore can cut down on food waste, and channel it into food for consumers, it could potentially create the ‘fourth food basket’—after food imports, locally grown food, and the sourcing of cheaper food alternatives from overseas.
With food being an integral part of the Singaporean identity and growing concerns over Singapore’s environmental sustainability, please get in touch with us at connect@blackbox.com.sg to understand how governments, restaurants, hoteliers, event organisers, and sustainability-focused companies can play your part in helping reduce food loss and wastage here.
Author: Blackbox Research Team
Comments