Residents in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being challenged to put their knowledge of food waste to the test and be in with the chance of winning a voucher worth £100 for a local farm shop and a hamper containing items to help reduce their waste!
Nationally, too much of our food ends up being thrown away, especially at Christmas time when two million turkeys, five million Christmas puddings, and 74 million mince pies get disposed of in the UK each year while still being edible. This results in more than 270,000 tonnes of food waste produced during the holiday season alone! *
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils want to tackle the problem and are asking residents to join the fight against food waste by taking part in the quiz to find out how much they know and what more they can do.
Cutting food waste, by shopping smarter, planning meals better and using, storing or donating leftovers, not only helps to save food but also helps people to save money, helps the environment and can support the local community too!
Recycling food waste is good, but not wasting food is even better – to join the fight against food waste, try the South and Vale Festive Food Waste Quiz now by visiting southoxon.gov.uk/Christmaswaste or whitehorsedc.gov.uk/Christmaswaste
The quiz is open until Monday 8 January 2024. To enter the competition, you must be a resident of South Oxfordshire or Vale of White Horse.
Christmas waste and recycling
Residents are also reminded that there will be some temporary changes to bin collections over the Christmas and New Year period, as a result of the bank holidays.
To find out when your bins will be collected, how to deal with your Christmas waste, what to do with your Christmas tree once the festivities are over and much more, please visit
Cllr Sue Cooper, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Christmas time is a major contributor to food waste, a global issue that not only wastes precious resources but also harms the environment. By taking part in our quiz, you will find out about using leftovers, food preservation and smarter shopping habits, along with practical tips to help cut your festive food waste. You may even be lucky enough to win the £100 local farm shop voucher!”
Cllr Mark Coleman, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “From planning your Christmas feast to transforming leftovers into culinary classics, our quiz will help to empower you to become more informed when it comes to food waste, saving money and helping to protect the planet. So, grab a mug of mulled wine, put your thinking cap on and get ready to join the fight against food waste!”
*Food waste statistics sourced from respectfood.com/article/how-much-food-goes-to-waste-during-christmas-and-how-can-we-prevent-it/