Christmas party food waste: UK businesses are throwing away millions
Christmas parties bring staff together, boost morale and reward a year of hard work. But behind the celebrations is a major waste problem that many organisations overlook. Every year, huge amounts of uneaten food go straight into the bin at staff festive events. That waste costs businesses money and increases their environmental footprint.
Our food waste experts have revealed the scale of this seasonal issue and shown how much could be saved through better planning and compliant disposal.
Key takeaways
- UK businesses waste an estimated £115.8 million in food at Christmas parties each year
- This equals more than 1.5 million kg of food being discarded
- That waste produces around 2,531 tonnes of CO2e
- The average business throws away £1,097 and 14.3 kg of leftover food at its Christmas party
- Medium and small businesses waste the most overall because they make up the majority of UK firms
London and the South East generate the highest cost and carbon impact
Why Christmas party
food waste matters
When plates are taken away, buffets are wrapped up, and kitchens close, most leftover party food cannot be reused for food safety reasons. It becomes commercial waste.
If that waste ends up in general bins, businesses can face:
- Higher waste bills in January
- Contamination fees for spoiled recycling
- Reputation risks from unnecessary waste
- Increased environmental impact
And when waste isn’t handled correctly under duty of care rules, this can lead to compliance issues too.
Mark Hall, commercial food waste expert at Business Waste, said:
The true cost of
Christmas leftovers
Our analysis shows that together, UK businesses waste an estimated £115.8 million in food every festive season.
That breaks down to:
- Micro businesses: ~£37.5 wasted per party
- Small businesses: ~£225 wasted per party
- Medium businesses: ~£1,125 wasted per party
- Large businesses: ~£3,000 wasted per party
Although individual amounts differ, when multiplied across:
- 1.15 million micro companies
- 220,085 small companies
- 38,435 medium companies
- 8,335 large organisations
Even small mistakes add up to a national financial loss.
These leftovers also represent more than 1.5 million kg of wasted food every year that could otherwise have been prevented or diverted into energy recovery.
Which UK regions waste
the most?
Christmas party waste is highest in regions with the greatest business populations:
- London: Highest overall waste costs
- South East: A close second
- North West and South West: Also major contributors
Each region contributes to a national carbon footprint of over 2,531 tonnes of CO2e from party leftovers alone.
To put that into perspective:
- That is equal to the emissions from over 6 million miles of car travel
- Or powering more than 300 UK homes for a year
The environmental impact
is growing
Despite efforts to reduce food waste, Christmas party leftovers remain a recurring issue. When food ends up in landfill or general waste, it releases methane. This greenhouse gas is 25 times more potent than CO2, accelerating climate change.
Businesses have strong incentives to change: reducing waste means lower disposal fees and improved sustainability credentials.
Mark Hall added:
How businesses can cut
Christmas party food waste
Smart planning before the event
- Accurately forecast attendance and order food based on real numbers
- Choose caterers who can safely donate unopened surplus
- Offer plated meals instead of large buffets if appropriate
On-site waste management
- Provide clearly labelled food waste bins
- Keep food waste separate from recyclables to avoid contamination
- Train staff or event teams on correct disposal practices
Responsible disposal after the event
- Use a registered commercial waste carrier
- Ensure food waste is treated through anaerobic digestion, not landfill
- Track waste volumes to improve year-on-year planning
Businesses in the hospitality, retail and office sectors can greatly benefit from specialist collections. We help organisations reduce costs and stay compliant, especially at peak times such as Christmas and New Year.
Final thoughts
Christmas celebrations are important, but the waste they generate is too significant to ignore. By managing food ordering and disposal more efficiently, businesses can save thousands of pounds and reduce their environmental impact without losing any festive spirit.
Want help reducing food waste at your workplace?
Speak to our team for free advice and a tailored waste management quote.
Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today.
Sources
- https://www.conference-news.co.uk/news/survey-sheds-light-food-waste-industry/
- https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/food-facts-portion-sizes.html
- https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/business-population-estimates
- https://smebusinessnews.co.uk/2024/09/27/77-of-uk-businesses-deem-the-corporate-christmas-party-the-most-important-event-of-the-year/
Methodology
How we calculated these figures
- A standard corporate festive meal was set at 650g per person, using guidance from industry bodies including BDA and the British Nutrition Foundation.
- Event professionals report that at least 15% of catered food is wasted at corporate events, which was applied across UK business population data from DBT/ONS to estimate waste per business size and region.
- An average meal cost of £50 was used to calculate the financial loss, then adjusted to reflect the proportion of UK businesses that host Christmas parties.
View the full dataset here.
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