Today Unilever UK has announced a new very unusual initiative — a live social experiment which will involve 12 families across the country who are to prove that environmentally-conscious lifestyle don’t cost more, as 68% of adult consumers think*.

Photo: Unilever’s product range

Living sustainably actually costs less and saves your budget on food. The project called Sustain Ability Challenge will last for 6 month and curated in partnership with a research and innovation consultancy The Futures Company.

12 families will test practical tools and advice given by Unilever on how to save while living an environmentally-friendly life. Their progress will be independently measured by The Futures Company and published in 2013.

With the average family throwing away £680 of food waste each year, the families’ first area of focus will be on food. Throughout November and December 2012, they will aim to reduce their monthly food bill by 15 per cent and their household rubbish by 25 per cent.

Emma Marsh, Head of Love Food Hate Waste, WRAP, commented: “Food waste is a major issue for the UK — we throw away 7.2 million tonnes of food and drink from our homes every year; most of this could have been eaten, costing us £12 billion. With practical help and advice, this is a pioneering experiment with the power to help people waste less and save more. It’s fantastic to see Unilever taking action with the support of Love Food Hate waste,  to help families in a way that benefits the environment as well as consumers’ bank balances.”

* according to The Futures Company’s annual study conducted in 2012 with 1,975 consumers in the UK