If you think that the leading cause of food wastage is lack of meal plan and prep, guess again. A new study believes that the key contributor to a growing food waste problem is really down to our obsession with Instagram.

A national study was held by Sainsbury’s to examine food waste patterns of 5,050 consumers, with Instagram users (or those aged between 18 to 34) the key contributors to a burgeoning wastage issue. A penchant for trialling experimental recipes purely for the purpose of a photo opportunity is helping to contribute to growing food waste, which currently amounts to 15 million tonnes annually.

Specifically, the study revealed that two-fifths of those aged more than 65 said that they never waste food, in comparison to 17% of those under 35. It’s what the study calls a shift in mentality between a ‘live to eat’ attitude held by 55% of 18 to 34-year olds, in comparison to an older ‘eat to live’ bias.

“A post-war increase in household food waste is due to changes in how we value choice, time and money in relation to food,” comments food historian Dr Polly Russell. “Gone are the days of eating the same food, on the same days of the week, week in, week out. Most people today, particularly younger generations, demand variety. However, with a menu which changes often, it is more challenging to control waste and plan ahead.”