SOME of the largest retailers and food producers in the UK have signed up to a new commitment to dramatically reduce food waste.
Retailers including the big four supermarkets, the discounters, Iceland, The Co-op, M&S and Waitrose have all committed to halve food waste across their UK operations by 2030. Each retailer, along with another 79 firms, has also committed to producing a report on food waste in their business by September 2019 with set targets for food reduction.
The new commitments form part of the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap campaign, developed by circular economy focused charity WRAP and food and grocery focused training and research charity IGD. Businesses participating in the campaign have signed up to target ‘SDG 12.3’, which sets out the goal of halving per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels, as well as reducing food losses along the production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
WRAP hopes to have 75% of all UK food businesses with more than 250 employees on a food waste reduction target by 2022, and 100% by 2026. Each firm will be expected to report on its efforts and take action to mitigate waste.
By 2030, the charity hopes to all large food businesses will have achieved their food waste reduction targets and halved waste. WRAP currently estimates £20bn worth of food is wasted each year.
Marcus Gover, chief executive of WRAP said: “Together, WRAP and IGD have mobilised industry leaders to create a bold sector-wide Roadmap, showing clearly what UK businesses must do. This Roadmap is hugely ambitious, and I’m delighted that the UK is the first country anywhere to set a nation-wide plan towards delivering its part in SDG 12.3.
“There are many businesses working hard already, but many more need to focus on food waste. If the food sector follows this roadmap it will significantly accelerate work to achieving both Courtauld 2025 [cutting the resources needed to provide food and drink by 20%] and SDG 12.3 targets. And I urge other companies to adopt the principles laid out in the roadmap and join the rest of the sector on this historic journey.
Alice Ellison, head of environment for the British Retail Consortium said: “The retail industry is a pioneer in reducing food waste and an early adopter of this Roadmap. The causes of food waste are many and varied and it’s this kind of collaboration that’s needed to tackle some of the complexities across the whole supply chain.”
• WRAP is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Zero Waste Scotland, Welsh and Northern Irish devolved administrations and the EU. The charity works on a number of campaigns aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainable business practice.
• The 89 retail and food businesses signed up to the new targets:
Retailers
Aldi
Asda
Central England Co-operative
Iceland
Lidl
M&S
Morrisons
Musgrave
Ocado
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
The Co-operative Group
Waitrose
Production/manufacture
2 Sisters Food Group
A Gomez Ltd
ABP Food Group
Albert Bartlett
AMT Fruit
Apetito
Arla Foods
Avara Foods
Bakkavor Group
Barfoots
Branston Ltd
Coca-Cola European Partners GB Ltd
Cranswick PLC
Dairy Crest
dps Ltd
Dunbia
Glinwell PLC
Greencore Group PLC
Greenvale
Greenyard
G’s Fresh
Hilton Foods UK
Hovis Ltd
Kepak Group Ltd
Kerry Foods
Kraft Heinz UK
Lucozade Ribena Suntory
Moy Park
Muller UK & Ireland
Nestle UK & Ireland
Noble Foods Ltd
Ornua
Premier Foods
Proctor & Gamble UK
Puffin Produce Ltd
Quorn Foods
Richard Hochfeld Ltd
Samworth Brothers Ltd
Seachill UK Ltd
Tulip Ltd
Unilever UK
Warburtons
Winterbotham Darby
Worldwide Fruit
Yeo Valley
Young’s Seafood Ltd
Hospitality and Food Service businesses
Accor Hotel Services
BaxterStorey
Bidfood
Brakes
Castell Howell Foods
Compass Group PLC
ISS UK
Nandos UK & Ireland
OCS Group
Pizza Hut Restaurants
Sodexo
Trade bodies and other supportive organisations
Anthesis
BRC
AHDB
British Beer & Pub Association
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
Chilled Food Association
Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges
FDF
Federation of Bakers
Institute of Hospitality
NFU
Provision Trade Federation
Royal Academy of Culinary Arts
Soil Association Food for Life
The Sustainable Restaurant Association
TUCO Ltd
UK Hospitality
Unilever Food Solutions
Winnow
