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Raising food-waste awareness with #happyplates

Commemorating World Food Day in Singapore, Electrolux leveraged its social media channels and partnerships with NGOs to raise awareness about the importance of reducing household food waste.

For Singaporeans the dinner plate is a precondition for a happy soul. As a nation of foodies, the tradition of making plenty of food—enough for everyone around the table and lots to spare--is deeply embedded in their etiquette. The result is often an unintended mountain of waste.

In the 2015 The Food Waste At Home Survey, conducted by Electrolux in Singapore, 77% of 1,000 respondents admit to regularly wasting food at home and almost a third refused to eat leftovers. The collective impact of this is startling – about 789,000 tons of food is wasted annually in the country, equivalent to 108 double-decker buses of waste every day.

The #happyplates initiative

In celebration of World Food Day in Singapore, Electrolux launched a community initiative to raise awareness about the importance of shifting this mind-set. 

Designed to remind consumers that an empty plate is a happy plate, and a happy plate is one that generates zero food waste, #happyplates highlighted the contribution households can make.

Inspiration to lasting change

Clearing plates at every meal, portion control, planning meals and making the most of leftovers were the key messages of the six-week campaign. The initiative was supported by cooking workshops presented by celebrity chef Eric Low, who inspired participants with creative tips on using leftovers, and cooking demonstrations at retailers.

About 2,000 consumers shared their happy plate under our #, and in turn, Electrolux helped 1,000 local families with food packages through The Food Bank. Together with the Food Bank, we improved the food packages to ensure higher nutritional value - 'Happy food bundles'.

Raising awareness about food waste through social media while helping families in need.