- Average Australian household wastes more than $2,500 of food every year
- State Government throws support behind campaign to drive behavioural change
- The Great Unwaste campaign part of 2025 Waste and Resource Recovery Conference
The State Government is calling on Western Australians to reduce their food waste as research reveals the average household throws out more than 265 kilograms of food every year.
The Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said this was the equivalent to approximately 26 full shopping trolleys and families could dramatically reduce their shopping bills with seven simple but powerful lifestyle changes.
Minister Swinbourn joined key industry and not-for-profit stakeholders at the 2025 Waste and Resource Recovery Conference to support The Great Unwaste, a campaign aimed at reducing household food waste.
Studies have found that households are the largest contributor of food waste, accounting for nearly one third of all food thrown out in Australia.
Nationwide, this equates to approximately 7.7 million meals every day.
The Great Unwaste encourages all Western Australians to make the following critically important lifestyle changes:
- store food the right way;
- flexible meal planning;
- enjoy leftovers;
- eat the oldest items first;
- buy the right amount;
- make the right amount; and
- serve the right amount.
The campaign provides simple, evidence-based steps households can take to reduce waste, save money, and get more from the food they already have with an overarching goal of achieving a 20 per cent reduction in household food waste by 2030.
Western Australians will be encouraged to reflect on their own behaviours, as research indicates food waste happens across all Australian households, just in different ways. Young families, singles, couples and older Australians can all help turn food waste around. More information about reducing food waste can be found at The Great Unwaste website.
As stated by the Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn:
"Food waste is something that all households can help to address and that's why we're encouraging Western Australians to adopt some positive behaviour changes that can make a profound difference.
"People don't deliberately waste food - it's often the food left on the dinner plates scraped into the bin, the fruit we forget in the fruit bowl and the mystery containers that get pushed to the back of the fridge.
"Every household should visit The Great Unwaste's website and adopt the seven simple steps that could reduce their food waste and, by extension, their grocery bills.
"Food waste is also a contributor to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions so by reducing what we're throwing away, we can also combat climate change."
As stated by Foodbank WA CEO Kate O'Hara:
"Food waste often feels overwhelming, but small changes in how we shop, store and prepare food can have a big impact.
"Our goal is to empower people to take simple steps that support both their budget and our environment.
"The Great Unwaste is a great way for us to share these behaviours more widely with WA households.
"Our nom! nutrition education programs are designed to empower individuals and families with the knowledge and skills to make healthier food choices while reducing food waste. Through hands-on cooking classes, workshops, and educational resources, we teach participants how to plan meals, store food properly, and use leftovers creatively. By incorporating these practices into their daily lives, participants can reduce food waste and improve their overall nutrition."
As stated by End Food Waste Australia CEO Tristan Butt:
"The mission of The Great Unwaste campaign is simple: to turn household food waste around.It's important because as a nation, 73 per cent of household food waste is going to landfill with the majority being perfectly edible.
"This wasted food takes farmland half the size of the Kimberley to grow, and costs Western Australians $2.8 billion each year. This isn't just a challenge for Western Australia - it's a national one.
"Western Australia is showing what's possible by rolling out The Great Unwaste this September, supported by a strong calendar of events and community activities. As the first State Government-led adoption of The Great Unwaste campaign in the country, we hope to set the tone for fighting household food waste across the nation."
