Over 80% of people in Japan want to take their leftovers at restaurants home, a private-sector survey has shown.

At the end of last year, the Consumer Affairs Agency and the health ministry together set up guidelines for taking leftovers home to reduce food loss. The agency calls for adding efforts not to throw away leftovers.

The internet survey was conducted by Kuradashi, which aims to reduce food loss by selling food products good enough for consumption but customarily considered unfit for sale for reasons such as close best-before dates. The survey received answers from 2,010 people in their 20s or older.

In the survey, 52.0% said they want to use containers to take leftovers home if they are provided free of charges, and 28.8% showed willingness to use takeout containers no matter whether they are free or not.

While the sum exceeded 80%, 14.5% answered that they have never left food in restaurants.

In Japan, many restaurants refrain from encouraging customers to take leftovers home because there was no clear rule for such a practice.

The guidelines say that consumers take leftovers home at their own risk and transfer food from dishes to containers themselves in principle. They are also advised not to leave the food in high-temperature places.

According to the health ministry, food loss happens at food-related businesses including food-makers and restaurants, as well as at households. Some 25% of food loss at businesses is from restaurants, with half of it believed to be leftovers.

"We want to ensure that the guidelines concerning taking leftover food home are widely disseminated," a Consumer Affairs Agency official said.