How can restaurants reduce their carbon footprint?

It’s no secret that restaurants contribute a large amount of food waste, pollution, and more. An average of £20,000 in food waste is generated by a single venue in a year! So it poses the question… what can be done to reduce this?

Through innovative technology and strategic planning, it is possible to reduce your business’s carbon footprint, save money and be kinder to our planet.

Getting your temperatures right

On average up to 22% of the energy used unnecessarily by a restaurant is a result of unoptimised fridge and freezer temperatures. Not only is this using energy and it also wastes money, and with recent inflation and rise in energy costs, this is something businesses should be aware of trying to reduce.

You may be wondering how you can ensure temperatures are optimum to achieve lower energy bills and be kinder to the environment. New and innovative technology, Sensee allows you to read, record, and monitor your fridges and freezer temperatures automatically and stores data in an easy-to-use mobile app.

The device will alert you when the appliances are not running at optimum temperatures so you can adjust the temperature accordingly (this will reduce energy consumption, save money as well as help avoid food waste and spoiling of food stock).

Aside from the energy-saving and money-saving benefits of Sensee, it also helps you easily achieve a 5-star food hygiene rating as it takes the risk of error out of manual temperature recording and ensures you are 100% compliant with food hygiene and safety standards.

Here is a full list of the benefits of the Sensee system:

• 24/7 accurate and automatic temperature records
• Custom alerts for when fridge/freezers are left open or running too cold/warm
• No more wasted food stock
• Accelerates food safety and hygiene in your commercial kitchen
• 100% compliance with food hygiene and safety
• Reduce electricity usage and save on bills
• Downloadable reports anytime, anywhere
• No more human error linked to manually recording temperatures
• All done digitally so no more wasted paper

Support local

Shopping locally can have a huge effect on your carbon footprint and the effects your business has on the environment. It is estimated that 11% of food-related emissions are solely down to the transportation of the product.

By purchasing from local suppliers you will dramatically reduce the number of emissions your business contributes, not only that but supporting local businesses is always a good way to show support for your local community.

When shopping local, there is a reduced amount of packaging involved in the transportation process, so trying to avoid single-use plastics where possible is a great way to be more eco-friendly.

When supporting local, seasonal menus should also be considered. Choosing a seasonal menu, allows you to avoid ordering food from other countries where possible (a huge way to reduce transport-related emissions).  Choosing to have a seasonal menu, is also a great way to keep your dishes fun and exciting as they change throughout the seasons.

Say no to food waste

This one can be challenging, knowing exactly how much you will need from each item of stock can be difficult to predict (although forecasting tools and strategies are available and should be used!).Â

â…“ of all the food in the world goes to waste, and considering how much water and greenhouse gasses are produced and required to make food. Not to mention the fact that so much of the world is without food, is a pretty shocking statistic.

So how can food waste be stopped? Keeping an eye on food stock, orders, usage, and stock rotation should help you have a better understanding of how much you are buying and how much you are actually selling.Â

Keeping stock inventory and proper date labeling is also a key element to ensuring your food stock doesn’t go to waste.

As previously mentioned, the Sensee systems help you easily identify when your appliances aren’t running at the right temperatures, so you can completely eliminate any risk of losing stock due to it going off.

Reducing plastic

We have heard it time and time again but reducing the use of single-use plastic is a great way to reduce your business’s carbon footprint and help the environment. Here are some simple ideas on how to achieve this:

• On delivery apps – add an option for cutlery if the customer requests it instead of giving it out on every order
• Switching from plastic cutlery to wooden cutlery is much better for the environment
• All other plastic packaging (takeaway boxes, sauce pots, bags, etc…) from plastic to biodegradable options

They are all simple switches, and they are not a huge expense like they once were! Why not get in touch with your supplier to find out exactly what they have to offer, and if they don’t switch to a supplier who does!Â

The takeawayÂ

By making small changes and making use of innovative technology, you can significantly reduce the unnecessary use of energy and emissions.Â

Studies reveal that approximately 75% of the British population has shown concern over climate change, so it’s important to show your customers that you care and make necessary changes.

To find out how you can get the Sensee system in your commercial kitchen, please visit our website. Alternatively, you can contact us directlyÂ

phone: 01273 940000

Email: support@astaris.co.uk