The average household throws away nearly £500 worth of food every year

The average household throws away nearly £500 worth of food every year - with milk top of the list, according to a new study.

Researchers found that we typically spend £61 every week on food and drink, but the equivalent of £9 of that will end up in the bin after going out of date.

A third of the 2,000 people polled say milk is the most common product they dispose of, followed other dairy products such as yogurt, butter and cheese.

Divya Chopra, CEO at Noluma, which commissioned the research, said, “With each Brit throwing away an estimated £500 a year in out-of-date food as a result of inadequate packaging or storage, it is clear the issue has significant financial implications.

“This can be reduced through consumer education, protection from indoor light damage, and better packaging."

The best-before and use-by date debate

The study found that one in five Brits are happy consuming an item which has passed its use-by date, and more than a third are willing to risk a bite on a product past its best-before date.