Residents urged to eat their pumpkins this Halloween

Halloween has become the third biggest shopping event for UK supermarkets, after Christmas and Easter, and an estimated 30.4 million pumpkins are expected to be purchased this year.

Environmental charity Hubbub says around half of these pumpkins go uneaten.

The charity, which launched its ‘Eat Your Pumpkin’ campaign in Oxford 10 years ago, said attitudes towards eating pumpkins have improved over the last decade.

Currently, 59 per cent of people are aware their Halloween pumpkins can be eaten, an improvement from 42 per cent when the campaign began.

However, an estimated 15.8 million pumpkins are still set to be wasted across the UK this year.

Halloween costumes also contribute to waste, with around seven million being thrown away annually.

According to Hubbub, 90 per cent of families purchase new costumes every year, and two in five of these costumes are only worn once before being discarded.

People are being encouraged not to throw away their costumes (Image: Canva) Giles Hughes, chief executive at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: "Halloween is a time of year celebrated by many, particularly families, and lots of us enjoy getting dressed up and seeing the creative displays people have put on outside their houses.

"Our message isn’t that people should stop doing these things, but that we can have a more environmentally friendly Halloween.

"Eating your pumpkin is a great start.

"Pumpkins labelled as carving ones are edible, but they’re bred to be less fleshy, so switching to another pumpkin variety will give you something tastier to eat and will look just as good carved or decorated - if not better.

"Switching from new shop-bought costumes to making something from old clothing or buying second-hand is another way to be more sustainable."

Pumpkin is a highly nutritious food containing vitamins A, E, and C, omega-3s, zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and beta-carotene.

If decorated instead of carved, they can be brought inside after Halloween and can stay fresh for months when stored in a cool place.

If pumpkins cannot be eaten, they should ideally be composted at home or placed into the food caddy for recycling using the district council’s weekly food waste collection service.

Any tea lights, wax, or decorations should be removed first.

Halloween costumes that are no longer wanted can be sold, given away, or donated to charity shops, but as a last resort, clothing can also be left out to be recycled.

It can be placed in a carrier bag next to recycling wheelie bins on collection day.