With environmental sustainability at the forefront of the industry’s future objectives, the UK hospitality sector has an opportunity to champion the fight against food waste–a moral, environmental, and economic issue facing restaurants today.
The drive for change
The need to reduce food waste is now not only a sustainable duty but also an economic necessity to minimise profit loss, especially with margin lines fragile for many businesses.
This has prompted a pivotal moment of change for the UK hospitality industry, given that the country is the highest producer of food waste in Europe, discarding 9.5 million tonnes of food* and costing restaurants a staggering around £682 million annually**.
Recent research, conducted by Lightspeed*** revealed that over a quarter of eco-conscious diners would stop visiting somewhere if they found out that it wasn’t being run in a sustainable way. By adopting a proactive approach to food waste reduction, establishments can align their financial goals with a sustainable future, a win-win situation for our planet and your profit.
Sustainability, seen in reality
We know that in the thick of bustling service, where steaming kitchens strive for quality and efficiency, and the front of house team must cater to guests' needs with every step, food waste prevention can often be pushed to the sidelines.
And, as excess food appears to be coming from every direction, from over-preparation to unsold inventory, overcoming this crisis can often feel insurmountable.
But it's not all so bleak; with pressing issues comes innovation and imagination.
Tech platforms, like Lightspeed Restaurant, are transforming hospitality operations to benefit our planet and boost your bottom line. Here are some considerations that restaurants and hospitality establishments can integrate into their operations to join the fight against food waste:
Menu optimisation
Streamlining your menu can seem a simple suggestion for a complex problem. But, by incorporating seasonal and local produce into your menu, it can massively reduce the risk of wastage, outdated ingredients, and excess inventory.
Lightspeed Advanced Insights is a powerful tool that lets you see which dishes are most in demand and which are less popular, providing clear and reliable guidance on what ingredients need ordering and how much prep needs to go into each dish.
Inventory management
This leads us perfectly onto stock control. With the help of your ePOS, you can audit and identify where overstocking may be happening as well as address slow-moving items.
Lightspeed Inventory is the real-time stock management tool that can track and automate your levels of supply, meaning you can plan ahead your orders with accuracy and precision, all while reducing waste.
Creative reuse
The more creative kitchens can be with their reusing and repurposing of produce, the less there is thrown away. Repurposing surplus ingredients and leftovers in daily specials or innovative menu offerings is the perfect way to reduce outgoing costs and positively affect your restaurant’s finances.
Lightspeed customer, Silo, is a pioneering zero-waste restaurant–inspired by a pop-up without a bin–where every part of their restaurant design comes from a desire to be respectful to the environment.
Restaurants that can get creative and adopt this environmental approach anchor themselves in a sustainable future, as well as prevent throwing resources away for better financial outcomes.
Staff training and environmental engagement
The hospitality industry is powered by people, and when a work environment and culture are centred around accountability and empowerment, it encourages staff to actively contribute. By providing in-depth training on food waste reduction strategies and setting expectations against wasting unnecessary food, employees can support the drive for change within your restaurant and, more broadly, within the industry.
Technology integration
The power of your Lightspeed ePOS extends far beyond transactions. By leveraging digital tools and software solutions, provided by us and our partners, you can optimise and automate your inventory management, forecasting, and procurement processes.
Learn more about how Lightspeed Restaurant can help your hospitality business succeed in 2024 and support your efforts against food waste: www.lightspeedhq.co.uk/pos/restaurant/
*www.businesswaste.co.uk/food-waste-2023-the-facts/#:~:text=While%20there%20are%20many%20provisions,produced%20globally%20goes%20to%20waste.
**cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/food-hygiene/how-to-reduce-and-manage-food-waste-in-your-restaurant/
***Research conducted by Lightspeed in November 2023, contact [email protected] for the full survey results
