Third of Edinburgh hospitality businesses estimate to have wasted between 21 and 30 per cent of food since the pandemic began

A new survey into how Edinburgh’s restaurants have been affected by Covid-19 has found that more than a third (38 per cent) of businesses estimate they have wasted 21 to 30 per cent of food since the pandemic began.

Commissioned by Too Good To Go, the world’s largest surplus food app, the survey also showed that 32 per cent of Edinburgh hospitality businesses believe that they will waste even more food over the next year as a result of unpredictability.

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According to those surveyed, changing government guidance has been the largest contributing factor for Edinburgh’s food waste since the pandemic began, the rule of six and lack of tourists were also identified as contributing factors to business’s food waste.

Too Good To Go lets people buy surplus food and drink from pubs, restaurants, retailers and producers to stop it from going to waste.

The survey also considered how businesses have been financially impacted by the pandemic. Results reveal that over a third of Edinburgh restaurants have lost between 21 and 30 per cent of their revenue since the start of the pandemic.

Food waste caused by unpredictability was shown to be the most notable cause of revenue loss, having negatively impacted financially almost half of Edinburgh businesses since the outbreak began.

Looking ahead, those surveyed demonstrated a strong desire to change and adapt in response to Covid.

Results showed that 43 per cent of Capital restaurants have had their eyes opened to how much food was wasted before the pandemic, and that almost a third now recognise the need to innovate and digitise to survive.

Paschalis Loucaides, UK managing director of Too Good To Go, said: “The pandemic has certainly had an almost irreparable impact on Edinburgh’s hospitality scene.

“To hear that the city’s restaurants, cafes and takeaways have had their eyes opened to how much food they were wasting before the pandemic is a really positive sign for the future of the planet. If we are to reverse the impact of climate change, reducing food waste is one of the most important things that we can do. It’s critical that reducing food waste continues to be a priority moving forwards in order to pave the way for a brighter, greener, future.”

Too Good To Go lets people buy surplus food and drink from pubs, restaurants, retailers and producers to stop it from going to waste. Consumers download the free app and search for nearby businesses with unsold produce.

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