The trade association said it was believed that there is “significant improvement” needed in the way food is managed in homes.
It wants to encourage more consumers to purchase frozen food and look more closely at what they have in their freezers as part of the campaign.
This follows data from Wrap which showed that while 8m individuals are experiencing food poverty in the UK, the average household is wasting 14kg of edible food per month (Food Foundation 2024).
BFFF is highlighting that frozen food can improve household food management, making meal planning easier, more cost-effective, and sustainable. Replacing fresh ingredients with frozen equivalents, which have longer storage lives, could mean less food is thrown away, it said.
However, there is some challenges to overcome with consumers.
According to product intelligence platform Vypr, over 85% of consumers hold back from frozen food purchases because of a lack of freezer space.
While 60% of consumers said they would buy more frozen meats and fish, just over half (53%) indicated they would purchase more frozen vegetables and fruit, if they had more room.
However, Vypr data showed that only 7% of British consumers visit the frozen food section first, with the majority starting their shopping in the chilled section, a behaviour the BFFF wants to challenge with the campaign.
Rupert Ashby, chief executive officer of the BFFF, said: “Frozen food is generally cheaper than fresh equivalents, but what many people don’t realise is that the key reason for that is that there is so much less waste in the supply chain, so it’s a win-win. Chilled products such as soft fruits get squashed, vegetables bruise, and transportation delays impact shelf life, and that is all reflected in increased cost to the buyer in the chilled aisle.”
The campaign is also encouraging retailers to expand their frozen ranges to attract more customers to the category.
“At a time when millions are struggling to put food on the table, it’s unacceptable that we are throwing so much away. A big part of the solution lies in better management of our food, and frozen food is a big part of that,” concluded Ashley.
