The government’s Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is inviting firms to tender for a research project to develop resource maps for fresh fruit and vegetables through the retail supply chain.

The tender closes next week on December 5, and the aim of the project is to develop detailed resource maps that quantify food waste and packaging waste through the fresh fruit and vegetable retail and wholesale supply chain.

WRAP hopes that the outcome of the research will be a clear picture of the different types and amounts of waste and at which stage along the supply chain they occur. It also expects to find out when the waste is generated and to be able to assess both its economic and carbon value.

Sophie Easteal, a key account manager at WRAP, said: “This will enable the identification of priority areas in which interventions can be made to prevent waste and move waste that cannot be avoided up the waste hierarchy.”

She added that although the lead time for organisations to tender is short, WRAP is interested in working with fresh produce companies which would like to be involved in the research, and plans to set up a steering group, to focus the project. The Fresh Produce Consortium has already been involved in identifying the scope of the project.

Easteal said: “During the process of gathering data and considering the issues, examples of good practice within the retail supply chain will be identified and will be used to develop and share best practice across the sector.”

Further information and tender documents are available from www.wrap.org.uk