Food firms should look online for cost savings

By Laurence Gibbons

- Last updated on GMT

The database is home to over 270 technologies that could help drive cost out of your business
The database is home to over 270 technologies that could help drive cost out of your business

Related tags Greenhouse gas

Food and drink manufacturers should visit a free online database to find innovative packaging to save money and reduce their environmental impact, according to the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

WRAP’s Resource Efficient Innovations Database (REID) is an online store of innovative technologies in products and packaging from around the world.

Joshua Davies, graduate sustainability consultant at engineering, construction, and technical service provider URS – working on behalf of WRAP – said the database could help firms meet the significant parts of phase three of the Courtauld Commitment.

‘Primary purpose’

“The database provides a place for food and drink firms to view all possible innovations for their supply chain in one place,”​ he told FoodManufacture.co.uk.

“It’s a good resource for food and drink firms to find information and then it is up to companies to see what’s right for them. The primary purpose is to promote resource efficiency, but there is a lot of scope for financial benefits.”

He added that some of the best technologies on the database of over 270 were packaging innovations. Click here to visit the database.

WRAP said it welcomed proposals for entries onto the database and were particularly interested in innovations that were relevant to packaging, hospitality and product preservation.

To qualify for the database technologies must meet several criteria, WRAP added.

They must improve resource efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions or cut wider environmental impacts of the retail sector – particularly the grocery or home improvement sectors.

“We have a process to ensure that solutions meet our selection criteria – degree of innovation, relevance, date of technology release – and that the text and images for each entry are of a high quality,”​ WRAP added.

Courtauld Commitment

A focus on greener packaging is one of the key targets of phase three of the Courtauld Commitment.

Signatories will also have to make a 3% reduction in real terms to counter the expected sales increase.

The other Courtauld Commitment phase three targets are:

  • Reduction in household food and drink waste by 5%. (This represents a 9% reduction in real terms to counter the expected increase in food purchased)
  • Reduction in traditional grocery ingredients, product and packaging waste in the grocery supply chain by 3%. (That equates to an 8% reduction in real terms to counter the expected increase in production and sales)

 

The Courtauld Commitment is a voluntary agreement aimed at improving resource efficiency and reducing waste within the UK grocery sector.

It supports the UK government’s policy goal of a ‘zero waste economy’ and climate change objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

WRAP is responsible for the agreement and works in partnership with leading retailers, brand owners, manufacturers and suppliers who sign up and support the delivery of the targets.

It was launched in 2005 and is now in its third phase.

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