The Problem
The UK wastes approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food every year.
The charity Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimated that this waste has a value of over £19 billion a year and would be associated with more than 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. It is said that of this waste, 6.4 milliontonnes could have been eaten, the equivalent of over 15 billion meals.
#EatingForABetterFuture
Over five days, The Scrappy Menu campaign will partner with a restaurant in 5 UK Cities; Oxford, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin, and London, redefining how we view food waste. Each restaurant will create a bespoke menu using “ugly” produce, surplus items, and ingredients souced from the surrounding areas, transforming them into inventive and delicious dishes. These recipes will be shared online to encourage people to cook sustainably at home. At the campaign’s end, the recipes and experiences will be compiled into a cookbook, a lasting legacy that celebrates creativity, reduces food waste, and inspires a more sustainable approach to food.
Our Rationale
Food waste is one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, with the UK alone discarding 9.5 million tonnes of food every year. Much of this waste consists of perfectly edible produce deemed “ugly” or surplus ingredients that fail to meet cosmetic standards or exceed demand. The Scrappy Menu campaign is rooted in the belief that every ingredient has value and the potential to inspire change when viewed through a creative lens.
By collaborating with top restaurants across five cities: the campaign demonstrates how overlooked ingredients can be transformed into extraordinary dishes. These meals not only highlight the power of sustainable cooking but also engage and educate diners on how small actions, like rethinking waste, can make a big impact. Through an innovative dining experience, online recipe sharing, and the creation of a commemorative cookbook, the campaign aims to spark a broader conversation around sustainability, reduce food waste, and inspire individuals to imagine new possibilities in their kitchens.The Scrappy Menu is more than a dining event, it’s a movement to reimagine our relationship with food for a better future.
The Scrappy Menu campaign will come to life across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, with varied engaging content designed to raise awareness and invite participation. Through carefully curated posts, we’ll introduce the campaign, explain its rationale, and launch our hashtag, #EatingForABetterFuture, encouraging followers to share our journey. Every post will encourage viewers to reserve a table through the link in the social media bios. Through the dynamic content outlined below, we aim to inspire action, spark creativity, and foster a collective commitment to a more sustainable future.
To further ignite excitement and engage the public, The Scrappy Menu campaign will launch a poster billboard series as a another activation tool. These posters, strategically placed in high-visibility locations across the participating cities - Oxford, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin, and London - will serve as vibrant invitations to join the movement. Each poster will feature bold imagery of the inventive dishes created from “ugly” produce and surplus ingredients, alongside shocking statistics on food waste in the UK to to grab attention, spark conversation, and inspire action toward a more sustainable future.
The campaign’s hashtag, #EatingForABetterFuture, will be displayed, encouraging social media engagement, creating a unified conversation online.
As part of our campaign activation, viewers are invited to reserve a table through The Scrappy Menu website. By booking a seat, they can join the movement to reduce food waste and support a more sustainable food future.
On the morning of the event, The Scrappy Menu Team - comprising a dedicated group of professional nutritionists and chefs - collaborate closely with the culinary team at the selected venue, such as Quod Restaurant in Oxford. From the early hours, they work tirelessly to source surplus ingredients and “imperfect” produce from the surrounding area, transforming these often-overlooked items into a showcase of culinary creativity and sustainability.
Once the menus have been crafted, the experience comes to life. Customers are served a carefully curated multi-course meal that highlights the potential of food waste, showcasing how surplus ingredients and “ugly” produce, can be transformed into remarkable, flavorful dishes. Each plate serves as a testament to the creativity and ingenuity that goes into reducing waste, leaving customers with a lasting impression of how simple, sustainable choices can lead to extraordinary culinary experiences
As a lasting legacy, The Scrappy Menu culminates in a beautifully crafted cookbook, a tribute to the campaign and a guide for sustainable cooking at home. Featuring the top three recipes from each city, the book showcases photos that capture the spirit of the campaign: ‘The Scrappy Menu’ team and chefs at work, customers enjoying their meals, and the dishes in all their glory.
