Retailers have welcomed a new Government-backed report which suggests “buy one get one free” (BOGOF) offers are not the chief culprit when it comes to food waste.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is highlighting research conducted by waste reduction body WRAP which found that, while 44% of shoppers think buying food on offer leads to a greater amount being thrown away, one in 25 (4%) actually wasted food bought as part of a promotion during the survey period.

The survey also showed the most common type of promotion is a straight price reduction. “Buy one get one free” (BOGOF) offers account for less than 2% of all products bought.

The BRC says the debate about food waste should focus on helping households to reduce the amount they throw away rather than blaming retail practices. The report builds on recent figures published by WRAP showing a 13% decrease in household food waste over the past three years.

BRC head of environment Bob Gordon said: “This research is extremely helpful. It clearly shows that, while people assume other shoppers are wasting food they buy on promotion, over 90% are not wasting it themselves. Households throw away 30% of the food they buy. This new evidence demonstrates BOGOFs are not to blame.

“The amount of food waste produced by households has been coming down – with the help of retailers – but there’s more to do. Our critics should join us in addressing the real reasons for food waste. We need to educate people to shop smarter and do better at managing the storage and use of food in their homes rather than blaming promotions.

“Price competition between the supermarkets is keeping costs down for hard-pressed consumers at a time when fuel and utility bills are sky-high. There are loads of promotions on the shelves because they’re highly valued by customers. Let’s stop wasting time talking about promotions causing food waste when it’s clearly not the issue.”