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Never underestimate the power of one dedicated individual.
A woman has been credited by the Danish Government for single-handedly helping the country reduce its food waste by 25 per cent in just five years.
Selina Juul, who moved from Russian to Denmark when she was 13 years old, was shocked by the amount of food available and wasted at supermarkets.
She told the BBC: “I come from a country where there were food shortages, we had the collapse of infrastructure, communism collapsed, we were not sure we could get food on the table”.
Her organisation, Stop Spild Af Mad – which translates as Stop Wasting Food – made all the difference and is recognised as one of the key drivers behind the government’s focus to tackle food waste.
“She was this crazy Russian woman that walked in the door, with a crazy idea about stop wasting food and she has come really far since,” Maria Noel, communication officer of Dagrofa, a Danish retail company, told the BBC.
“She basically changed the entire mentality in Danemark,” she added.
Ms Juul convinced Rema 1000, the country’s biggest low-cost supermarket chain, to replace all its quantity discounts with single item discounts to minimise food waste.
Max Skov Hanser, a grocer at Rema 1000, said the retailer wasted about 80 to 100 bananas every day. However, after the supermarket put up a sign saying “take me I’m single”, it reduced the waste on bananas by 90 per cent.
In the past five years Denmark has become one of the leading European countries in the fight against food waste.
Last year, a charity in Copenhagen opened Denmark’s first ever food surplus supermarket, which sells products at prices 30 to 50 per cent cheaper than usual retailers.
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Healthy living makes us more inclined to binge, research suggests
Gluten-free breads, dairy-free milks and other plant-based products have been some of the most favoured foods in British supermarkets this year. However, while we’re busy filling our shopping trolleys with gluten-free goodness, we’re also jamming it with junk food and alcohol, new research suggests
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McDonald’s has announced the launch of a new vegan burger on its menu in Germany
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McDonald’s Germany
Food and drink news
Drinking too many protein shakes could lead to an increased risk of obesity and a reduced lifespan, a new study has claimed
Researchers from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre carried out an investigation to determine the impact excessive consumption of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) has on the body. BCAA supplements are often consumed in the form of powder, which is then added to water to make a shake. Published in journal Nature Metabolism, the study found that while BCAAs help to build muscle, they can also negatively impact an individual’s temperament, cause weight gain and lead to a shortened lifespan
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Food and drink news
Britain consumes more chocolate than any other country
Most people love chocolate but it turns out no one does more than the Brits – with the average Brit found to have consumed 8.4 kg of chocolate in 2017, according to new data. Chocolate consumption around the world is on the rise, according to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), which found that in the past year alone, Easter chocolate production has risen by 23 per cent
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‘Easter eggs should be banned for children under four’
Dr Becky Spelman, chief psychologist at Harley Street’s Private Therapy Clinic, is calling for Easter eggs to be banned for consumption for children under the age of four, claiming that giving them the opportunity to binge on chocolate so young will give them an unhealthy relationship with food later on. “This is a nightmare situation for parents of this generation as they have no idea how to teach their children to delay their response to cravings,” she said, explaining that too many young kids binge on these chocolates because their parents don’t know how to stop them. “Once a child starts overeating behaviour at a young age it’s very hard to turn things around for them in terms of food and their eating habits moving forward, leading to obesity from at very young age,” she added
PA
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Pineapple overtakes avocado as the UK’s fastest-selling fruit
According to Tesco, pineapple has overtaken avocado as the UK’s fastest-selling fruit, with sales increasing by 15 per cent in 2017. In comparison, avocado sales rose by just under 10 per cent last year. The popular supermarket says the surge in popularity comes as shoppers buying the versatile fruit are beginning to use it as a main ingredient in everything from curries and barbecues, to juices and cocktails
Getty
Food and drink news
Marks & Spencers launches stoneless avocados
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M&S
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Office teabags contain 17 times more germs than a toilet seat, reveals study
The average bacterial reading of an office teabag was 3,785, in comparison to only 220 for a toilet seat. Other pieces of kitchen equipment also stacked up highly in their findings, with the bacterial readings averaging at 2,483 on kettle handles, 1,746 on the rim of a used mug and 1,592 on a fridge door handle
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Food and drink news
New study shows drinking more coffee leads to a longer life
There is good news and a final hope for coffee addicts and lovers. You will now be able to drink coffee for longer as new study shows its can lead to a prolonged life. Scientists showed that those who drank between two and four cups of coffee a day had 18% lower risk of death compared to non-coffee drinkers.
PA
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Coke Zero is replaced with Coke Zero Sugar
Coca-Cola is pulling the plug on its Coke Zero. The much loved drink will be replaced with a ‘new improved taste’. The move, backed with a £10 million campaign, is said to come from Coca-Cola supporting people to reduce their sugar intake. Coca-Cola want people make this move while not sacrificing sugary taste of Coca-Cola.
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Starbucks introduce new avocado spread
The avocado craze has grown from hipster brunch restaurants to Starbucks. Starbucks have introduced their new avocado spread earlier this year and it has the internet in debate. Some argue that it not a spread but guacamole while others question if there is any avocado in there at all. When buying the new spread you can also buy an optional toasted bagel. It is a must try for all avocado connoisseurs.
Starbucks
Food and drink news
New Mars chocolate bar
The iconic British chocolate bar is about to get its partner in crime. The new bar, named Goodness Knows, will replace the gooey caramel goodness of the mars bar with oats. It is said to be more like a Florentine biscuit with a thin dark chocolate bottom. While being moderately healthy Mars says that is has ‘good intentions’. One pack has 154 calories and will sell for about 90p.
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Wine prices could increase because of Brexit
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Food and drink news
Chocolate may be good for the heart
A new study, published in the British Medical Journal: Heart, found that moderate chocolate intake can be positively associated with lessening the risk of the heart arrhythmia condition Atrial Fibrillation
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Food and drink news
Brits throw away 1.4 million bananas each year
British families are throwing away 1.4 million bananas that are perfectly good to eat every day at cost of £80m a year, new figures have shown
PA/Armin Weigel
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Rosemary sales spike over exam time
There has been a surge a surge in sales of the herb rosemary after a recent study found it helps improve memory. According to high street health food chain Holland & Barrett, sales of the herb have increased by 187 per cent compared to the same time last year
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Food and drink news
Starbucks launches two new coffee-based drinks
Starbucks is launching two new coffee-based drinks in the UK, as it strives to tap into consumers’ growing appetite for healthy beverages. The Cold Brew Vanilla sweet cream and the Cappuccino Freddo, will both be available in stores throughout the UK from the start of May
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Food and drink news
Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Tiffin is making a permanent comeback after 80 years
The Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin, first produced in 1937, is making a permanent comeback to the UK. The raisin and biscuit-filled chocolate bar is being launched after a successful trial last summer saw 3 million chocolate treats – at the cost of £1.49 for each 95g bar- purchased by nostalgic customers
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Food and drink news
Pizza restaurant makes ‘world’s cheesiest’
‘Scottie’s Pizza Parlor’ in Portland Oregon has created the world’s cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties.
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Food and drink news
A pizza joint in Portland Oregon has created the world’s cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. Why not eating before a workout could be better for your health
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New York restaurant named best in the world
A New York restaurant where an average meal for two will cost $700 has been named the best in the world. Eleven Madison Park won the accolade for the first time after debuting on the list at number 50 in 2010. The restaurant was praised for a fun sense of fine-dining, “blurring the line between the kitchen and the dining room”
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Food and drink news
Why you crave bad food when you’re tired
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Shutterstock
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British dessert eating surges after people ditch healthy eating in February
: In heartening news for anyone feeling guilty about quitting their New Year diet, it seems lots of us have given in to our sweet tooths once again. New data from nationwide food-delivery service Deliveroo reveals there was a surge in Brits ordering desserts in February compared to the first month of 2017
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US congress debates definition of milk alternatives
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Cadbury’s launches two new chocolate bars
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Lettuce prices are rising
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Wefood is hoping to help reduce the 700,000 tonnes of food waste Denmark produces every year.
Ms Juul said consumers are the “biggest wasters”.
“Food waste is the lack of respect for our nature, for our society, for the people who produce the food, for the animals, and the lack of respect for our time and your money,” she said.
In the UK, household food waste increased to 7.3 million tonnes in 2015, leading to accusations the Government is failing in its ambition to bring down waste in Britain.
