F4F: Food Waste Awareness
Reducing food waste in university canteens through RFID plate tracking and targeted social media campaigns
Overview
F4F (Fight for Food) tackles food waste in university canteens through two parallel tracks:
- Hardware tracking: a prototype RFID smart magnet that attaches to reusable trays and records each tray's journey from serving to return, enabling plate-level waste measurement without interrupting canteen flow
- Social campaign: targeted Instagram and TikTok content to shift student behaviour through awareness and platform-native engagement formats
Collected data was processed to identify peak-waste periods, most-wasted food categories, and daily trends, giving canteen managers actionable steps for menu and portion adjustments.
Technical Implementation
The RFID prototype was built on Arduino with an RC522 reader module. Tags embedded in reusable fridge magnets attach to trays; readers at the tray-return station log each tray with a timestamp, generating a dataset of consumption and waste per meal period.
Data was exported from the reader, cleaned with Python, and visualised to surface patterns. Social content was produced using Canva and CapCut, with a content calendar aligned to canteen operating cycles and waste-collection periods.
Key Components
RFID tags in reusable fridge magnets attach to trays. Readers at the return station log each tray, building a timestamped waste dataset per meal period.
Collected data was processed to identify peak-waste periods, most-wasted categories, and trends, giving managers concrete steps for portion and menu adjustments.
Educational infographics and behind-the-scenes content designed for Instagram, formatted for shareability among the student target demographic.
Short-form video challenges built around trending formats to make sustainability content accessible and engaging for a university-age audience.
Cohesive brand including logo, colour palette, and messaging framework that made the campaign recognisable and consistent across platforms.