Sainsbury's is collaborating with food specialist East Malling Research to investigate how people store packaged fruit and vegetables at home.

The project is part of the Waste and Resources Action Programme's (Wrap) 'Love Food Hate Waste' campaign, launched today (November 1).

Wrap project manager Andrew Parry said the research could lead to better on-product labelling and information cards on how to store fruit and vegetables.

He said: "Packaging is designed to preserve food, but quite often consumers are taking it out of the packs and throwing the packaging away before it does its job."

In March, Wrap revealed that UK households throw away 6.7 million tonnes of food waste each year.

Under the food waste campaign, Wrap will continue its collaboration with International Food Partners (IFP) to develop integrity seals for the back seam of packs.

Marks & Spencer currently uses the seal for the top and bottom of its salad bags.

The organisation will also work with the University of Lincoln to assess the quality seal on tray-sealed products, such as ready meals and processed fruit.

Meanwhile, Wrap will report in April 2008 on its research into breathable materials, conducted in collaboration with Longlife Solutions, Amcor Flexibles and Tesco.

Tackling food waste was one of four objectives for 2008 – alongside recyclates, collections and management of mixed plastics – laid out by Wrap at an open meeting last month.

Celebrity chefs Ainsley Harriott, Paul Merrett and Barny Haughton attended the launch to show support for the scheme.