2025

Food Waste: National Attitudes and Behaviours survey 2024

Abstract

Behavioural insight is a foundation of the EPA’s Circular Economy Programme, providing evidence to inform policy, behavioural change interventions and awareness campaigns. The EPA contracted Ipsos B&A to carry out quantitative research, which is a nationally representative survey on Irish citizen's attitudes, awareness and behaviours relating to food waste. This survey builds on similar national attitudes and behaviour studies conducted in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Authors

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Conducted by

EPA Circular Economy Programme and Ipsos B&A

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Methods

The fieldwork for the online survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,002 adults ages 16+ was carried out in September & October 2024.

Main Findings

The survey topic areas are presented in a series of four sections. The series presents findings across a range of food waste topics, providing evidence on public attitudes, behaviours and practices related to food management and waste prevention. Together, the reports contribute to Ireland’s evidence base for reducing food waste and supporting a circular economy. The results are presented in infographic form with raw data files available to download.

EPA Market Research Food Waste

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland is the independent public body responsible for protecting and improving the Irish environment. Established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992, the agency operates independently under the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. It provides crucial scientific knowledge, polices green laws, and regulates activities that could harm human health or nature.