Retailers have claimed a major victory in helping to reduce domestic food waste by 13 per cent.
Figures published on Tuesday by the government waste reduction body WRAP show that UK domestic food waste fell by 1.1 milllion tonnes (13 per cent) between 2006-07 and 2010.
The British Retail Consortium said all the major multiples were working on WRAP’s Love Food, Hate Waste campaign by giving consumers advice on food storage and use of leftovers as well as offering a wider range of pack sizes and making the best use of packaging.
BRC head of environment Bob Gordon said: “The scale of the reduction shows retailers are right to support customers in tackling the biggest source of food waste - the home. Previous WRAP figures showed eight times more food waste coming from homes than from stores….The scale of the waste reduction achieved shows retailers successfully educating and encouraging customers to change the way they buy and manage food.”
The figures were announced at WRAP’s annual conference on 15 November. Chief executive Dr Liz Goodwin revealed that WRAP has met all its published major targets, having helped keep 11 million tonnes of waste out of landfill and generate £2bn of benefits to the UK economy, including £1.8bn of cost savings.
However, she said there was “a big job still to be done to given the food we waste in homes alone is worth £12bn a year, and food wasted throughout the supply chain is significant at a time when food security was a major global issue”.
Goodwin also announced that food waste, recycling services for businesses, and encouraging greater reuse of scarce resources will be the top priorities for WRAP over the next three years.
