1 in 5 Green fingered Britons surveyed could save up to £5201 per year on shopping bills
15 July 2010
Years of living the ‘good life’ since the recession first hit is reaping fiscal as well as environmental benefits for households across the country according to research commissioned by EDF Energy, Britain’s largest producer of low-carbon electricity. According to these findings, one in five (20%) of those who grow their own fruit and vegetables save between £5 and £10 per week on their weekly shopping bills – which could lead to impressive annual savings of between £260 and £5201.
The research has been commissioned by EDF Energy to mark The Big Lunch, organised by its Team Green Britain partner The Eden Project. The Big Lunch (18 July) is the finale to Team Green Britain’s summer of inspiring activities which started on Green Britain Day (17th June) and has seen people across the country getting together to help the environment, with actions including using bikes for local journeys instead of taking the car, and planting trees with local schools.
The survey indicates that Britons are keen on growing their own fruit and vegetables, with many of those surveyed using whatever available space they have, from allotments to balconies or window boxes. Fruit trees are among the most popular produce grown (by 47% of respondents), with keeping a vegetable patch (39%) or creating a herb garden (35%) also popular. It also seems this trend is set to continue, with almost three quarters of respondents (68%) saying they would definitely or potentially give more priority to growing fruit and vegetables in the future.
Better tasting produce (42%) tops the list of reasons for growing your own among those questioned– almost double than its cost saving benefits (26%) – whereas time (38%) and space (37%) were the main reasons stopping the 43% of those surveyed from producing their own fruit and vegetables.
76% of the food grown by respondents was purely for their own consumption but it’s not just salad that’s being devoured – whilst tomatoes (64%) and lettuce (42%) come out high, some of the adventurous Britons surveyed are also turning their hand to strawberries (45%), potatoes (41%), courgettes (25%) and gooseberries (17%).
Eva Eisenschimmel, Chief Operating Officer, EDF Energy says: “It is extremely encouraging to see the impact that growing your own produce has in terms of weekly savings on household bills. This research commissioned by EDF Energy, the first sustainability partner of London 2012, shows that anyone can reap the benefits of taking a step towards low carbon living; both in helping the environment and also in saving money.
“EDF Energy kicked off Team Green Britain to inspire and enable people to tackle climate change, whether in the home, how we travel to work or via the food we eat. Getting involved with a Big Lunch is a great way to meet the people in your area and to start sharing resources.”
Peter Stewart, Eden’s Campaigns and Communications Director from Eden, says: “As a founding partner of Team Green Britain we’ve been working to get people across the country to team up to help the environment. Why not get together with neighbours to share the bounty this summer at a Big Lunch? ‘Community’, after all, comes from the Latin meaning ‘together in gift’. A Big Lunch can be anything from a neighbourhood street party to a simple picnic with a handful of people. So bring food, but most importantly, bring yourselves.”
Those wanting to take part in a Big Lunch should visit www.thebiglunch.com where they’ll get some top tips on getting involved and can find a Big Lunch near them by entering their postcode into the online search box.
Notes to editors:
Further information about the survey results:
Research conducted by Fly Research on 10th July 2010 of 1,000 respondents.
References
Based on results from 625 respondents who grow their own fruit and vegetables from a 1,000 overall sample. Research carried out on 19th July by Fly Research for EDF Energy.
For more information, please contact:
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Weber Shandwick contact Judy Ingber Ph: +44 (0) 207 067 0291 e-mail:tgb@webershandwick.com |
EDF Energy contact Mike Stuart Ph: +44 020 7089 0315 e-mail: michael.stuart@edfenergy.com |
About EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around one-fifth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the Britain’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customer product accounts.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants could generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Sustainability Commitments, EDF Energy has launched one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any British energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Team Green Britain.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs around 20,000 people at locations across the UK.
About Team Green Britain
Team Green Britain was founded by EDF Energy, the Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, together with partners London 2012 and two leading environmental organisations, the Eden Project and Global Action Plan. The Big Lunch is the finale of a summer of inspirational events held to bring communities together to think and act greener. Throughout the summer, the Team Green Britain celebrity ambassadors and a number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been lending their support and getting involved with events across the UK.
About Green Britain Day
Green Britain Day was founded by EDF Energy, the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, together with London 2012 and two leading environmental organisations, the Eden Project and Global Action Plan. It signals the launch of a fun-filled summer of inspirational events, bringing communities together to think and act greener. Throughout the summer, the Team Green Britain celebrity ambassadors and a number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be lending their support and getting involved with events across the UK.
About the Eden Project and Big Lunch
The Big Lunch is led by the Eden Project, with the support of a family of partners – The Big Lottery Fund, MasterCard, EDF Energy and the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Once a year, we would like as many people as possible to sit down to lunch together with their neighbours in a simple act of community and are encouraging the nation to pull up a chair for the second annual Big Lunch on 18th July 2010.
The Eden Project is wholly owned by the Eden Trust, an education charity. Eden uses exhibits and educational programmes to remind people of what nature gives us and to help them learn how to look after it in return. Since fully opening in a former china clay quarry in Cornwall in March 2001, Eden has attracted more than 11 million visitors and generated more than £900 million for the regional economy.