Businesses sign up to plan to halve waste

Eighty-nine retailers, manufacturers, foodservice operators and trade bodies have committed to the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, which has been developed by IGD and WRAP.

It aims to halve UK food waste across the entire supply chain and has the support of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), as well as the Welsh and Scottish Governments, as part of the UK’s involvement with global targets set out in Courtauld 2025 and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3.

The first milestone on the Roadmap is for 125 of the largest food businesses in the UK to be measuring, reporting and acting on food waste by September 2019, with another 125 doing so by 2026. It hopes that all businesses involved will have set a target for waste reduction, and that by 2030, they will have achieved this target.

Marcus Gover, CEO 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 nationwide 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, and SDG12.3 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.”​

Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD, added: “The Food Waste Reduction Roadmap presents a huge opportunity for every business within the UK food and grocery industry to provide reassurance for shoppers. UK shoppers see industry food waste at the top of their priorities and by working together with the total food chain, we’re delighted to have secured a world first, with the UK leading the way in this important area. As a result, I’m confident we will see continued momentum on this high-profile initiative.”​

National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Minette Batters said: “This is an incredibly important initiative by Wrap and IGD, and the NFU is very pleased to be able to support it. Farmers are the first step in the supply chain, producing the raw ingredients that make up the safe, traceable and affordable domestic food supply that helps to feed the nation. ​

“As food producers, farmers and growers have a clear role to play in this effort and it is encouraging to see many of our members already committing to cutting food waste in their businesses.”​