The war on food waste is well and truly underway, but Australians are still wasting $8.9 billion worth of produce each year according to The Rabobank Food Waste Report. Part of the bank’s annual Financial Health Barometer, the report is the result of a survey of 2,300 financial decision makers aged between 18 and 65 polling attitudes towards savings and debt.

And while $8.9 billion may seem outrageous, it’s not all bad news – Australians have significantly reduced their waste year-on-year, by 7 per cent in fact. That’s a $700 million difference between 2017 to 2018 (go team!). Per household that’s $890 wasted each year, but a saving of $160 per household in comparison to last year’s results.

Who is the least wasteful? Baby Boomers, who throw out just $430 (or 7 per cent) of their food. This generation has also been deemed to care the most about reducing waste, with 85 per cent passionate about reducing waste. It seems that it’s those under age 36 that are the real culprits, with Millennials the repeat offenders throwing away more than $1,200 last year.

Embarrassingly for Queensland, the Sunshine State is the only state whose food waste has increased – by $43 per year to be exact. Victoria showed the most improvement, reducing by 5.5 per cent (or $300) per year.

“The Rabobank Food Waste Report shows us that the tide is turning in Australia when it comes to food waste and attitudes are translating into actions, with a total $700 million reduction to our food waste bill in one year!” comments Glenn Wealands of Rabobank Australia and New Zealand. “The results are encouraging however it is key that Australian households focus on reducing waste even further, while also saving money for their families.”

So what can be done? Be mindful when it comes to your weekly shop. The report revealed that 45 per cent of the population bought too much at the supermarket, while 34 per cent admitted to insufficient meal planning. A further 41 per cent blamed their kids for not eating the food that was prepared for them. Using a shopping list, eating leftovers, planning meals in advance, and freezing food are all valid ways to help drastically reduce that $8.9 billion by 2019.

“As our population increases we will struggle to feed additional mouths. If we don’t curb our waste, we could run out by 2050. While the reduction in food waste is a global responsibility, we all – as individual consumers – can play a significant role in sustaining this planet for generations to come, Commented Wealands. “While is it pleasing that Australians consumers are wasting less food compared to 12 months ago, there is clearly much to do to raise awareness about food production and waste and more urgently implement better practices to reduce waste – while also improving the finances of all Australians.”