Hospitals and aged care homes are major contributors to Australia’s food waste problem, but they could also be powerful forces for change, according to a new research report from the University of Adelaide.
The Hospitals & Aged Care Food Waste Action Plan, funded by the University, the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, and the Queensland Government, reveals that institutional food services, including those in hospitals, aged care homes, schools, and prisons, generate approximately 251,000 tonnes of food waste each year, equivalent to over 500,000 meals.
In aged care, 3.5 kilograms of food per resident is wasted each week, costing facilities up to $1,000 weekly. In hospitals, around 30 per cent of food is uneaten, with food accounting for as much as half of total waste.
“Reducing food waste in these sectors isn’t just a sustainability issue, it’s about dignity, health, and smarter use of public resources.”
Dr Kate Sansome
Lead researcher Dr Kate Sansome, from the Adelaide Business School, says the scale and routine nature of food operations in these settings uniquely position them to lead industry-wide reform. “Hospitals and aged care facilities can influence suppliers, model best practice, and educate staff and patients,” she said.
The study found that a mix of rigid safety guidelines, lack of infrastructure, under-resourced staff, and outdated meal delivery models contributes to widespread waste. Food is often prepared regardless of need, thrown away unnecessarily, or not tailored to individual preferences, especially in settings where meal orders are made long before consumption.
Dr Sansome’s three-stage framework outlines a pathway for change:
- Stage one recommends simple interventions like visual bin audits and direct feedback from patients and residents.
- Stage two calls for investment in smarter systems like room-service models and digital ordering tools, which have been shown to cut waste by up to 59%.
- Stage three focuses on long-term cultural change through case studies, food waste champions, and peer-led initiatives.
The report calls for a coordinated, systems-level approach to food waste, shifting the focus beyond individual behaviours to institutional structures and policy barriers.
Food waste is not only a drain on budgets and resources, but it also has serious social and environmental implications. Australia faces growing food insecurity, with 3.7 million households affected last year. At the same time, food waste contributes up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than aviation and plastic production combined.
