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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Sian Traynor

Edinburgh pub goers confused when rogue barman chucks away drinks to prove point

A number of Edinburgh bar goers were caught on camera after being pranked by a campaign group at a popular summer spot.

Unaware they were being filmed, locals attending the Neighbourgood Market in Stockbridge were caught up in the stunt, which aimed to increase awareness of drink wastage.

Launching their aims to avoid pouring drinks down the sink, environmentalist group Love Food Hate Waste had taken over a stall at the popular food and drinks market for a day during the summer.

READ MORE - Popular Edinburgh cafe creates adorable second venue out of old police box

Sharing the results of their scheme this week, the group told Edinburgh Live that 800,000 tonnes of drink is disposed of in UK sewers every year, costing an estimated £1.4 billion.

Trying to put their concerns into perspective, the group had become bartenders at the market, and happily made up customer's orders, before pouring half of it down the drain and handing it over.

Stunned by the unusual actions, the hilarious clip shows some Edinburgh locals questioning the small portions, however others, in true British fashion, say nothing despite being fully aware they've been ripped off.

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Upon questioning, the bartender explains that the customer was likely to 'waste six per cent of it anyway' so he had 'cut out the middle man.'

Responding to the explanation, one confused bar goer said "Okay... I'll enjoy my half a drink then," while one irritated woman replied "I don't think I'll be back."

One woman was not best pleased (Love Food Hate Waste)

Speaking about their prank, Love Food Hate Waste explained that the idea was a different way to think about sustainability, adding:

"Drink waste has a high carbon cost yet most of us don’t think twice about pouring something down the sink. Given the amount of waste, clearly, far more of us are guilty of waste than we would like to think. Even though it’s not being sent to landfill it is still damaging to the planet.

"The resources that go into growing, harvesting, transporting, and processing that drink all have a carbon cost, meaning any waste has a significant environmental effect, just as it does with landfilled waste.

"Most of the food and drink poured away in Scotland is avoidable, meaning that if we had planned and stored it better in the home, it need not have gone to waste."

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