EDUCATION & STUDENT FACILITIES CUTTING WASTE CUTS COSTS
Gather + Gather talks to Tomorrow’s FM about its effective strategies for reducing food and packaging waste, whilst delivering measurable savings and a better experience for students.
In an era of persistent food inflation, waste reduction has moved from being a ‘nice to have’ to financially savvy. For university caterers, every kilogram of food binned and every disposable container purchased represents money that could be reinvested in the food offer or back into the students.
At Gather + Gather, we manage catering and hospitality at universities and colleges across the UK, giving us a front-row seat to the challenges and the solutions. Here’s an insight into our most effective strategies for reducing food and packaging waste, whilst delivering measurable savings and a better experience for students.
Food waste is more than an environmental concern; it’s a direct hit to the bottom line. Research indicates that universities generate anywhere from 0.12 to 50kg of food waste per head every day, with plate waste one of the leading drivers. Beyond finances, persistent waste can demoralise kitchen teams who take pride in their craft, with uneaten meals sending an uncomfortable signal that the food simply was not good enough. Similarly, half-finished dishes can undermine confidence in the food and drink offer and fuel negative word-of-mouth across campus.
Solutions do not need to be complex. Some of our most significant wins have come from revisiting basic kitchen processes. At one site, we retrained every member of the team on knife skills, focusing on maximising yield from each ingredient. We stopped routinely peeling carrots, boosting fibre content while eliminating unnecessary trim, and eggshells were collected and donated to local gardeners for composting. Vegetable scraps were also given a second life in our Sunday gravy, adding depth of flavour that students noticed. The result was food that was more delicious, more nutritious and noticeably less wasteful. Studies confirm that targeted interventions like improved preparation techniques and training can reduce food waste by 13–50%.
Collaborating with students also generates positive results. Waste reduction is a shared responsibility and the generation now on campus cares deeply: 62% of Gen Z report feeling anxious about climate change and 64% are willing to pay more for sustainable options. At one of our university partners, we reduced post-consumer food waste by over 60% simply by listening to student feedback and aligning menus with their preferences. When people actually want what is on offer, plates come back clean.
Packaging waste presents its own challenge. While reusable coffee-cup schemes attract headlines, the bigger opportunity often lies in takeaway meal containers, where volumes are high and alternatives exist. Compositional audits at some institutions also reveal that 40% of general waste in food areas is simply food waste in the wrong bin, evidence that infrastructure and communication matter as much as good intentions.
Effective packaging reduction starts with making the more sustainable option the easy option. Ceramic cups for dine-in
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should be free and prominently available as the default. Introduce a meaningful packaging levy to incentivise reusable cups. Ensure there is always comfortable space for students to sit and drink on-site rather than taking away. Use point-of-sale data to track where disposable cups are still being used; this valuable intelligence tells you which interventions are working and where to focus next.
Reusable container programmes can deliver impressive results. Some campuses report return rates above 96%. But technology alone is not the answer. Every scheme should be layered on top of the foundational practices outlined above, not deployed as a silver bullet. Customer experience is also an important driver: if a system requires downloading an app, creating an account or navigating confusing return points, uptake will suffer and containers will disappear. The goal is friction-free, easy to use, and genuinely nice to drink from. Finally, bringing customers and clients on the journey with us is key to success, making relevant and inspiring communications and engagement a must. Get these elements right, and sustainable behaviour becomes second nature.
If you are interested in learning more about how Gather + Gather is reducing waste across their partnerships, please contact
charlotte.thwaite@
gatherandgather.com.
https://gatherandgather.com
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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