UK food industry exceeds roadmap ambitions to reduce food waste

156 UK food businesses have now committed to the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, a year on since its launch, surpassing its first milestone.

The roadmap that was developed by WRAP and fellow charity IGD, set a goal to ensure that at least 50% of the UK’s 250 largest food businesses are measuring and reporting their food waste data by September 2019. Having reached 156 businesses, the organisations have exceeded their ambitions, with the number representing more than half of UK food industry turnover.

WRAP has implemented the ‘Target, Measure, Act’ strategy which provides businesses with steps they can take to reduce food waste in their own supply chain, and how they can engage with consumers to help reduce their food waste.

121 of these food businesses have provided evidence of implementing this strategy, including all 15 of the UK’s largest grocery retailers such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco, and over 100 other large food businesses including Nestlé and Kraft Heinz UK.

The amount of food producers and manufacturers committed to the roadmap has doubled since launch to 117, as well as the number of hospitality and food service sector businesses which has risen to 24.

WRAP and IGD have broadened its membership with a further 29 other organisations, including major trade bodies and redistribution organisations.

Since the launch the founders have produced more than 40 case studies representing the progress made and have delivered training workshops to the different sectors, as well as other campaigns.

Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP said: “I am delighted at the huge progress in this first year of the UK Food Waste Reduction Roadmap.

“Businesses that are implementing Target, Measure, Act are already reaping the benefits, and those publicly reporting comparable data show an average 7% reduction, and a combined saving of around 53,000 tonnes of food valued at over £85m.

Susan Barratt, CEO of IGD said: “IGD and WRAP continue to work very closely with these companies, giving them the tools to understand how they can measure and reduce food waste. Our industry has made great strides on this important issue in the last 12 months, but we are not complacent.

“Reducing food waste is a long-term journey and we recognise there is more we can, and will, be doing in the future.”

According to WRAP, the UK is the first country in the world to set a nation-wide plan of this size, scale and ambition. The Food Waste Reduction Roadmap aims to have all 250 companies join by 2026 and to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030.