Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) have launched a voluntary agreement that 98 organisations have agreed to, 93% of the grocery market have signed the 10-year agreement
WRAP said the agreement – Courtauld phase 4 – would see the resource intensity of the UK’s food and drink fall by one-fifth, bringing an estimated £20 billion savings to the UK economy.
Annual food waste from UK households, hospitality and food service, food manufacture and the retail and wholesale sectors amounts to around 12 million tonnes, 75 per cent of which could have been avoided, according to studies by Wrap.
Wrap estimates the agreement, called the Courtauld Commitment 2025, will save the UK economy around £20 billion and put the country on track to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal to halve food waste by retailers and consumers by 2030.
Didn’t this happen previously?
Yes and the numbers increased instead of decreased!
Dr Richard Swannell, director of sustainable food systems at Wrap, said:
“To safeguard UK food we need a step-change to increase sustainable food and drink production and consumption, conserve resources and combat climate change. Courtauld 2025 will do this.
“This is an ambitious undertaking and having key signatories on board on day one puts us in a strong position at the start of this new era for our food industry.”
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) minister Rory Stewart said:
“Food waste – at any stage from the farm to the house – is something we should avoid. It wastes precious water and resources. So I am delighted that this great group of food and drink companies has come together with Wrap to reduce our food waste.
“Under the last framework we have already reduced food waste in the supply chain by 10%. And this team-work and leadership should allow us to go much further.”
But who is actually signed up?
Retailers:
- Asda
- Morrisons
- Tesco
- Sainsbury’s
- Aldi
- CO-OP
- Lidl
- M&S
- Musgraves
- Waitrose
Brands:
- Associated British Foods
- ARLA
- Coca Cola Enterprises
- Heineken
- Nestlé UK and Ireland
- Premier Foods
- Unilever
- Warburtons
Other:
- apetito
- Bidvest
- Compass
- KFC
- OCS
- Pizza Hut
- 24 authorities including the London Waste and Recycling Board representing more than 42% of the UK’s population.
- British Hospitality Association
- British Retail Consortium
- Chilled Food Association
- Dairy UK
- Food & Drink Federation
- Food Standards Agency
- Institute of Hospitality
- Sustainable Restaurant Association
- WWF
