- Australia throws away 7.6 million tonnes of food each year, costing the economy $36.6 billion annually. That’s about $5.52 lost for every kg of food wasted
- The average household in Australia wastes between $2,290 and $4,352 worth of food every year, showing just how much money families could save by cutting down on food waste
- Saveful users who use the app to its fullest extent have already saved nearly 6 tonnes of food, delivering $32,452 in community savings. If every household followed suit, Australia could save over $75.65 million a year
As Australia faces a $36.6 billion loss in household food value each year1, Saveful is proving that small changes can make a big impact, with the launch of Australia’s first-ever national Saveful Food Savings Report. Conducted in partnership with Griffith University, the report provides groundbreaking national insights into household food habits, ingredient use, and food-saving behaviours, a fresh perspective on the road to halving food waste by 2030. It also examines how cross-sector collaboration is creating real, measurable impact.
In 2021, the average Australian household wasted between $2,000 and $3,800 worth of food annually, equating to roughly 312 kg per person. After adjusting for inflation from 2022 to 2024, that figure has climbed to $2,290 to $4,352 in 2025, underscoring the growing financial burden of food waste on families nationwide.
The Road to Halving Food Waste by 2030
By cultivating food literacy, culinary skills, and the flexibility to make meals using ingredients they already have, Saveful can assist individuals in taking meaningful steps toward enhancing both economic and environmental outcomes and offers a powerful solution to help achieve the goal of halving food waste by 2030.
The Saveful Food Savings Report reveals that Saveful savers, are using all the features to their fullest extent reported saving 5,879 kg of food annually, which at an inflation-adjusted cost of $5.52 per kg, equates to an estimated savings of $32,452 per year. With full national adoption of these food-saving behaviours, Australia could save a staggering $75.65 million a year, showcasing how small changes at home can lead to big results for families—and for the country.
Household Food-Saving Behaviours
Using innovative technology and behavioural insights, Saveful bridges the intent-to-action gap and empowers Aussie households to make sustainable food choices at home—saving money, food, and time. The tool encourages a series of practical behaviours proven to save food, with data showing that Saveful users waste 63% less than the national average.
Over a one-year period (May 2024–May 2025), Saveful users conducted 49,711 unique ingredient searches from a library of 760 ingredients and opened chef-created recipes 56,373 times—interactions that reflect meaningful engagement and the development of everyday food-saving habits.
One of the most impactful behaviours is increasing home cooking frequency. Saveful users who cook more often waste less food per meal across all categories. For example, bread waste drops from 0.139 loaves per meal among infrequent cooks to just 0.019 loaves for those cooking daily. Similar reductions are seen in dairy, vegetables, fruit, herbs, and meat. On average, active Saveful users cook 5 times per week—more than non-active users—and this habit is strongly linked to more efficient food use.
Household composition also plays a key role in food waste patterns. While single adult households reported the lowest total food loss overall, they had the highest food loss per person—significantly more than any other household type. Couples without children followed a similar trend, with relatively low total waste but higher per-person loss. In contrast, shared adult households and families with children showed the highest total food loss, yet the lowest per-person waste, suggesting that larger households may use food more efficiently. Notably, food loss per person did not vary significantly across income levels.
Saveful also promotes smarter use of leftovers and scraps, which are among the most persistently discarded items in Australian households. By prompting users to log these after each meal, Saveful builds awareness and encourages creative reuse—such as turning leftovers into new meals or repurposing scraps into stocks and soups. Additionally, the app supports thoughtful planning and storage, offering expiry reminders and compact storage tips to help households keep track of ingredients and reduce spoilage.
New Food Saver Persona Profiles
The Saveful Food Savings Report identifies three distinct Food Saver Persona profiles that are shaping the way Australians reduce food waste at home. These distinct user profiles — The Everyday Saver, The Savvy Saver, and The Conscious Starter — highlight the diversity of food-saving behaviours across the country and offer valuable insights into how different households engage with sustainable practices.
Practical and consistent, Everyday Savers live in slightly larger households (2.7 people) and represent middle-income earners in moderately advantaged areas. Cooking around 5.2 times per week, they save a modest 1.2 kg of food weekly—about 0.6 kg per meal. Most commonly found in Queensland (29.1%) and New South Wales (25.2%), this group uses Saveful steadily to reduce waste, demonstrating reliable but not extreme food-saving habits.
Resilient and resourceful, Savvy Savers live in lower-income households within less advantaged areas. Despite financial constraints, they show the highest level of engagement with Saveful, saving an impressive 3.3 kg of food per week. Cooking most frequently (6.5 times per week), they make the most of every ingredient—planning meals, shopping smart, and repurposing leftovers. With a strong presence in New South Wales (23.9%), South Australia (18.1%) and Victoria (17.3%), this group proves that limited resources can inspire innovative and disciplined food-saving behaviours.
Affluent and convenience-driven, Conscious Starters live in highly advantaged areas and smaller households (2.6 people). Cooking less often (4.8 times per week), they save the least amount of food—just 1.1 kg weekly—and report the highest levels of food waste (0.5 kg per meal). Predominantly located in New South Wales (38.1%) and Victoria (22.6%), this group is engaged with Saveful but shows room for improvement. Tailored interventions—like expiry reminders, smart storage tips, and single-serve planning—could help shift habits and boost their impact.
Speaking to these personas, Kim McDonnell, the Founder and CEO of Saveful, comments: “The Food Saver Persona profiles give us a fresh look at how Aussies are making the most of what they’ve got at home. By understanding the unique saving behaviours—how different people cook, shop, and save—we can better support every household to cook more, save more, and make everyday choices that are good for the planet—and the pantry.”
She continued, “We’re so excited to build on our mission to change the narrative and encourage more sustainable food-saving behaviours with the launch of the Leftover Legend competition. Leftover Legend is all about celebrating the everyday brilliance of home cooks who know how to turn ‘what’s left’ into ‘what’s next’. It’s a fun, feel-good way to spotlight the creativity and resourcefulness that’s already happening in kitchens across Australia—and to show that saving food can be just as satisfying as cooking it.”
Leftover Legend Competition
This September, Saveful is on a mission to find Australia’s Leftover Legend—the superhero who can turn ‘nothing’ into something spectacular. The resourceful chef who can rescue last night’s roast potatoes, a can of chickpeas, and the mystery sauce at the back of the fridge and somehow create a dish worthy of a five-star review (from at least one family member).
To join the competition, upload a video (under 60 secs) to Instagram or TikTok telling us why you are a leftover legend and your favourite Saveful flexible recipe. Tag @savefulorg and use the hashtag #LeftoverLegend. The videos will be judged based on resourcefulness and creativity and four Finalists will be invited to compete for the title of the Australian Saveful Leftover Legend on the 29th of September 2025, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, a United Nations initiative.
The winner of the Leftover Legend competition will take home an extraordinary prize pack valued at over $21,000, which includes a year’s worth of groceries (valued at $15,000), a $5,000 Qantas flights voucher, and a $1,000 Harvey Norman voucher, as well as an unforgettable dining experience at Matt Moran’s iconic Aria restaurant. The experience features a curated tasting menu paired with classic wines, a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour, and a personal meet-and-greet with Matt Moran himself—with flights and accommodation included.
For more information on how you can turn the food in your fridge, freezer, and pantry into delicious meals, while saving time, money, and reducing food waste, visit the Saveful Website: https://www.saveful.com
ABOUT SAVEFUL
Saveful is an Australian award-winning app designed to help households save food and save money. It enables users to turn everyday ingredients into meals using chef-created flexible recipes that can be personalised based on ingredients they have, personal preferences and dietary requirements, provides smart storage tips, and personalised cooking hacks. The app provides feedback on the estimated amount of food saved, estimated cost savings, and the estimated likely amount of emissions avoided. As a free and accessible app, Saveful empowers households to manage food more efficiently and understand the contribution of food-saving behaviour to their budget and to the environment.
The Saveful Food Savings Report is proudly brought to you by Rabobank and supported by Bakers Delight, Goodman Fielder, and Green Industries SA.
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