Making a meal of crisis

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), August 7, 2008

A FIFTH of Geordies are resorting to using leftovers to beat the credit crunch.

Economic concerns are creating a thrifty kitchen culture which is helping the environment.

A survey by Sainsbury's found that with the cost of the UK's food waste standing at pounds 10bn a year, almost a quarter of people say they're happily making full use of their leftovers.

A total of 43% of shoppers are sticking to a shopping list to avoid waste

And plastic sandwich box sales are up 35% year-on-year, suggesting people are taking positive action and making the most of their own grub, according to Alison Austin, environmental manager from Sainsbury's.