Food waste messages for maximum impact: research slides April 2013
Background In early 2013, WRAP commissioned research to develop and test key messages to build awareness of the context of food and drive preferred behaviours : act to prevent food waste; use the food waste recycling collection service for any food you can’t eat A mixed methodology was adopted including focus groups in advance of a wider quantitative survey This document presents key findings from the quantitative research Qualitative Behaviour Learn from Quantitative testing and and message evidence testing hierarchy refinement
Research objectives Priority: To identify which messages are most motivating, appealing and easy to understand and identify any differences according to current behaviour and presence of a collection service To understand preferences for the timing of communications and identify which messages resonate best before, during and after roll out of a collection service To understand preferences for key communication channels and optimum locations for messages at each stage of the journey (including leaflets, ads, triggers and prompts in the home etc.) To understand knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding food waste prevention and recycling and establish how this affects reactions to key messages To identify any differences in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards preventing food waste according to whether respondents have access to and use a food waste recycling service To explore reactions to a range of messages around food waste prevention and recycling, including context facts, “how to”, benefit led and performance related messages
A note on the qualitative findings 2 focus groups were conducted with a sample of the target audience in Scotland and Wales. Attendees were prompted to consider message priorities through the use of mood boards and also encouraged to develop their own ideas using co-design exercises Overall, preferred messages all featured elements of reduction AND recycling, highlighting the strong inter-relationship between the two messages Preferences were then taken forward for further quantitative testing among a representative sample of the public across Scotland and Wales
Method and sample Gender Male Online survey conducted in Scotland and Wales 47% among representative population Female In field 12 Feb – 28 Feb 2013 53% Scotland - 628 responses Wales – 628 responses Age Social grade A 18-24 65-99 E 5% 13% 18% 16% B 20% 25-34 D 16% 11% 55-64 19% 35-44 C2 C1 17% 20% 45-54 28% 17% Standard demographic crosstabs have been produced for all respondents. These include gender, nation, age and social grade. Results have been highlighted where there is a significant difference
Age and gender interlocked by nation Scotland Male Female Quota Respondents Difference Quota Respondents Difference 18 – 24 15% 14% +/- 0.8% 13% 13% +/- 0.2% 25 – 34 17% 18% +/- 0.4% 17% 18% +/- 0.7% 35 – 44 19% 19% +/- 0.1% 19% 18% +/- 0.4% 45- 54 17% 17% +/- 0.1% 17% 17% +/- 0.1% 55 – 64 13% 13% +/- 0.3% 13% 13% +/- 0.1% 65+ 19% 19% +/- 0.1% 21% 21% +/- 0.3% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% Wales Male Female Quota Respondents Difference Quota Respondents Difference 18 – 24 13% 13% +/- 0.5% 13% 13% +/- 0.1% 25 – 34 15% 15% +/- 0.3% 13% 13% +/- 0.3% 35 – 44 17% 17% +/- 0.3% 15% 15% +/- 0.1% 45- 54 17% 17% +/- 0.0% 17% 17% +/- 0.0% 55 + 38% 38% +/- 0.3% 42% 42% +/- 0.5% Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
How much uneaten food do you throw away? 3% 3% 4% 29% 29% 30% None Hardly any A small amount 26% 29% 31% Some A reasonable amount Quite a lot 28% 23% 19% 11% 11% 10% 5% 4% 4% Total Scotland Wales The majority – around 6 in 10 - claim to throw away a small amount or less. Scottish respondents are slightly more likely to throw some food away Base: 1256
Do you have access to a food waste collection service? Wales 95% 4% 1% Yes No Don't know Scotland 58% 39% 3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Almost all in Wales and 58% of Scottish respondents stated they have access to a food waste collection service. Base: 1256
How often, if at all, do you use the food waste recycling collection service? 12% 12% 12% 4% 4% 5% 8% 6% 12% 15% 19% Never 26% Very occasionally Sometimes Most times 62% 56% Every time 47% Total Scotland Wales The majority – 75% claim to use the food waste collection at least most of the time. Not surprisingly, usage is higher in Wales where the service has been operational for longer. 12% never use the service in either nation. Base: 963 who have access: Scotland 365 Wales 598
Use of food waste recycling collection by age 65-99 63% 17% 11% 6% 2% 55 – 64 67% 15% 8% 5% 5% 45 – 54 61% 18% 13% 5% 3% 35 – 44 55% 16% 13% 11% 5% 25 – 34 44% 23% 18% 8% 7% 18 – 24 43% 28% 9% 14% 5% Total 56% 19% 12% 8% 4% Every time Most times Sometimes Very occasionally Never Use of the collection service increases with age. Those aged 25 – 34 are most likely to never use the service. Base: 963 who have access: Scotland 365 Wales 598
Reasons for not using the collection service No uneaten food 56% 28% 9% 0% 6% Hardly any uneaten food 56% 17% 14% 8% 5% Every time It is more important to prevent Most times 51% 17% 18% 8% 5% food waste than to recycle it Sometimes Disagree strongly doing my bit 24% 47% Very occasionally 18% 6% 6% for environment is important Never Neither reducing food waste 29% 29% 23% 3% 17% nor recycling it are important… Total 56% 12% 19% 8% 4% Those who never use the service appear to fall into 2 distinct camps – a minority who don’t believe the environment is important and the majority who do believe prevention is important and have limited uneaten food Base: 157 who very occasionally or never use the collection service
Among those who don’t use the collection help the environment is important personally? To what extent do you agree that doing my bit to service, 8 in 10 who don’t throw away food agree the environment is important personally 3% 8% 12% 15% 9% 18% Don't Know 13% Disagree strongly 35% Disagree a little Agree a little 54% 49% Agree strongly 44% 20% 20% Quite a lot/a reasonable amount Some/small amount Hardly any/none How much uneaten food, overall, would you say you generally end up throwing away? Those who don’t use the food waste collection and agree that doing their bit to help the environment is important throw away less food. Those that do throw away more uneaten food are less inclined to believe the environment is important to them. base 157 who ‘very occasionally’ or ‘never’ use the food waste recycling collection service
Using the collection increases awareness and encourages people to waste less food In what way, if at all, has having a food waste collection, changed how you think about your food waste? Other 3% 3% 3% 19% 20% 21% 9% 8% 7% It hasn't changed much - I 15% 16% 16% use the service and that's it Now the food waste is 54% 53% 53% collected separately I don't worry when I do have to throw food away Total Scotland Wales 2/3 say using the collection has increased awareness of food waste and just over half say they try to throw away less. Around 1 in 5 say they use the service and that’s it and only 8% say they now don’t worry when they throw food away Base: All who use collection Total 849 Scotland 323 Wales 526
Using the collection increases reduction effort among families in particular In what way, if at all, has having a food waste collection, changed how you think about your food waste? Other 14% 20% 22% 20% 22% 8% 0% 8% It hasn't changed much - I use the service 8% 8% and that's it 15% 22% 10% 16% 17% Now the food waste is collected separately I don't worry when I do have to throw food away 61% 59% 56% It has made me more aware of the food 53% 51% waste in general but I haven't done anything different It has made me more aware of the food I throw away and now I try to throw away less Total None 1 2 3+ 6 in 10 of those with 1 or 2 children say they are more aware and try to throw away less compared to 51% of those with no children at home. Using the collection increases effort most amongst the highest food wasting family audience. Base: All who use collection Total 849 Scotland 323 Wales 526
Effort to reduce waste is highest among those who agree the environment is important personally: In what way, if at all, has having a food waste collection, changed how you think about your food waste? 2% 3% 3% 4% 13% 20% Other 28% 33% 8% 43% 8% 13% It hasn't changed much - I use the service 6% and that's it 16% 22% 19% 10% Now the food waste is collected separately I don't worry when I do have to throw food away 15% 22% 62% It has made me more aware of the food 53% waste in general but I haven't done anything 45% different 30% It has made me more aware of the food I 22% throw away and now I try to throw away less Total Agree strongly Agree a little Disagree a little Disagree strongly Base: All who use collection Total 849 Scotland 323 Wales 526
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