‘Great British Bin Juice’: IKEA Gives Surplus Apples a Second Life

• Crafted from surplus, wonky apples, Great British Bin Juice is designed to spark a positive conversation about making more of the food we have.
  
  
• The launch follows IKEA cutting food waste in its kitchens by 60% since 2017, helping to save the equivalent of 47.5 million meals globally through smart AI tech.
  
  
• Each FREE Great British Bin Juice bottle unlocks 20% off IKEA’s 365+ food storage range for IKEA Family members. Free in-store workshops are also available to book as part of the initiative, helping customers waste less and save more.

On Friday 5th June, IKEA UK is introducing ‘Great British Bin Juice’ – a limited-edition apple juice made from surplus British fruit, which is more delicious than it sounds, to celebrate the value of food that might otherwise go unused. 

With an estimated 10.2 million tonnes of food and drink going unused across the UK each year, the initiative spotlights a much bigger opportunity to unlock more value from everyday ingredients. With the average four-person household losing around £1,000 worth of food annually, there’s a clear opportunity to make more of the food we have at home. 

‘Great British Bin Juice’ builds on IKEA’s long-standing commitment to reducing food waste across its business. Globally, IKEA has cut food waste in its kitchens by 60% since 2017, helping to prevent the equivalent of 47.5 million meals from going to waste – reaching the UN’s 2030 target to halve food waste ahead of schedule. 

A key driver of this success has been the use of smart technology developed in partnership with Winnow, a company specialising in commercial waste solutions. Deployed in IKEA kitchens, the AI-powered tool seamlessly tracks what gets thrown away, capturing the item, weight and cost, making it easier for IKEA Food teams to take simple, effective action, saving both food and money over time. Implementing the innovative technology has saved IKEA UK alone over £14 million in 10 years, while reducing carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking 2,300 cars off the road. 

The scale of food waste is a shared challenge that impacts both businesses and households alike. According to WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), the UK wastes 10.2 million tonnes of food and drink annually, worth a total of £22.3 billion, with businesses contributing 29% of the total. The UK hospitality sector discards around 800,000 tonnes with an estimated value of £3.2 billion lost to food waste annually. 

Households face a similar struggle. According to WRAP’s data, fresh vegetables, salads and bakery items like bread are among the most wasted foods in UK homes, with fresh potatoes topping the list. To understand the behaviours driving these figures, new consumer research from IKEA, polling 2,000 Brits, reveals that bread (50%), lettuce (38%) and bagged salad (36%) are their most frequently self-reported binned foods. Despite the volume of waste, 41% of those surveyed estimate they only waste £1-£5 a week, underestimating the true financial toll and potential savings that could be made. 

Insights from IKEA also suggest that while many people want to stretch their food further, everyday habits are tripping them up. A quarter (25%) admit to forgetting what’s in the fridge, while a further 16% say that ineffective storage can sometimes get in the way. 

In light of these findings, and alongside the launch of Great British Bin Juice, IKEA is supporting customers with practical, everyday solutions designed to make it easier to use what’s already in the fridge or cupboard – hoping to address the consumer confidence gap. To help overcome these challenges: 

• Each bottle of Great British Bin Juice includes a QR code unlocking 20% off IKEA’s 365+ food storage range. This includes IKEA 365+ food containers and lids to help preserve leftovers, as well as a food storage basket with a see-through design, helping customers keep track of the food they have to use up while improving air circulation. 

• Customers can attend free ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ workshops in participating stores, offering simple tips on storage, meal prep and creative ways to repurpose everyday ingredients. The workshops are free for customers to attend and will run in select stores from 6th to 13th June. Shoppers can sign up here.

Together, these tools are designed to help people feel more confident, save money and enjoy more of the food they buy. 

Karen Hughes, Country Food Manager at IKEA UK, said: “At IKEA, we believe good food should always be valued and enjoyed. ‘Great British Bin Juice’ is a fun and simple way to show how ingredients, often overlooked, can be turned into something delicious. “But most importantly, it’s about sharing practical solutions that can help individuals make more of the food they already have. When we rethink the value of what’s already in our kitchens, those small daily habits can make a big difference.”

Jen Emerton, Head of Business Engagement at WRAP, commented: “The volume of edible food currently going to waste across the UK represents a significant environmental and economic issue. It also highlights a huge opportunity for innovation. IKEA’s achievement in halving its kitchen waste using a data-driven approach is a powerful example of this in action. We welcome approaches that demonstrate the value of treating surplus food as a resource, which is a key part of building a more circular food system.” 

Great British Bin Juice will be available at select IKEA stores including, Birmingham, Bristol, Wembley, Gateshead, Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Oxford Street. For full details and locations, visit IKEA.co.uk/binjuice.

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Source : IKEA

Image : IKEA

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