The Environmental Impact of Bread Waste: Why Every Slice Matters

The Environmental Impact of Bread Waste: Why Every Slice Matters

At Earth & Wheat, we’re passionate about reducing food waste, especially when it comes to bread. We’re on a mission to rescue perfectly good, albeit "wonky," bread that often gets rejected because it doesn’t meet the industry’s cosmetic standards. But what happens to the bread that doesn’t make the cut? Sadly, it often ends up in landfills, and the environmental impact is staggering. That’s where we step in and rescue the breads with the help of our rescue warriors!

Bread Waste: A Hidden Contributor to Climate Change

Every year, a jaw-dropping 12.8 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK alone[1]. Of that, 4.5 million tonnes of food waste from households is still edible[2]. That’s a huge amount of perfectly good food going straight in the bin — including bread, one of the most commonly wasted foods. This waste has far-reaching consequences for our environment, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion.

When food waste ends up in landfills, it doesn’t just disappear. It rots and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that’s up to 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. To put things into perspective, if food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, right behind the USA and China[3].

The Water Footprint of Bread

Beyond the carbon footprint, bread waste also represents a massive waste of water. For every kilogram of bread rescued, our rescue warriors save over 12 litres of fresh water from going to waste [4]. Throwing away bread means we’re also wasting the water, energy, and resources it took to produce, package, and transport it.

How Earth & Wheat is Helping to Tackle the Problem

At Earth & Wheat, we’re working to cut food waste at the source. By rescuing surplus and "wonky" bread that doesn’t meet the usual standards — whether that’s a slightly misshaped crumpet or an unevenly baked pita — we ensure it gets to your plate instead of ending up in the bin.

By buying wonky bread from us, you're not only saving money but also reducing your environmental footprint. For every box of rescued bread you receive, you're helping to lower the demand for overproduction, saving both energy and natural resources as well as donating one meal to someone in need via our charity partner FareShare.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Imagine if we all made an effort to waste less food at home. Whether that’s freezing leftover bread, making croutons from stale slices, or simply buying only what you need, these small changes can add up to a big difference.

Want to learn more about the impact of food waste and what you can do to help? Check out our Clean Plate Report, which breaks down the facts and figures and offers practical tips for reducing food waste in everyday life.

Together, we can positively impact the planet — one wonky crumpet at a time!

Taste more, waste less.

[1, 2] WRAP, 2020, Food surplus and waste in the UK key facts. "WWF (2022) Hidden Waste" Available at: https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-10/WWF-UK%20HIDDEN%20WASTE%20REPORT%202022_2.pdf for waste at the farm stage.

[3] WRAP, Why we need to take action on food waste https://www.wrap.ngo/taking-action/food-drink/actions/action-on-food-waste#:~:text=Globally%2C%2025%E2%80%9330%25%20of,after%20China%20and%20the%20USA.

[4] Poore & Nemecek, 2018, Science. Note: data for Europe only.