BOURNEMOUTH has been rated as one of the top five food savvy locations in the UK in 2023.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, new research has revealed Bournemouth residents are making some of the biggest efforts, nationally, to combat food waste this year.

Each year, Brits throw away 9.5 million tonnes of food, according to the Waste and Resources Action Programme - 6.4 million of which could have been eaten.

Senior regulatory advisor for research at Ashbury, Joanna Becker-Hawkins, said: “Food waste has been a particular focus for everyone over the last few years, and it’s right that we see so much attention on the issue.

"Whether it’s going in the bin at home or being taken off supermarket shelves, we can all do more to help cut down on how much waste we create.

“Apps such as Too Good To Go, Olio and Karma all play an important role in helping people cut down on waste."

She explains the importance of understanding the difference between a best before date, which is about the quality of the food, and the use by date, which is about food safety.

Foods such as pasta, rice and tinned items are still safe to consume after the best before date, whereas, products with a use by date should not be eaten after the date listed.