An appeal for mandatory food waste reporting has been launched by top grocery chains and brands in the UK.
- More than 30 businesses, including Tesco, Aldi, and Nestlé, urge government action against food waste.
- The initiative, supported by notable supermarkets and brands, targets improving transparency and accountability.
- Mandatory reporting aims to make companies more efficient in food production and waste management.
- The letter to the UK government aligns with goals to build a zero-waste circular economy.
An influential coalition involving over 30 grocery retailers and iconic brands has publicly urged the UK government to introduce compulsory food waste reporting. This joint appeal aims to minimise the amount of edible food discarded nationwide, addressing a significant environmental and economic challenge. Signatories of the letter include leading supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer, alongside brands like Innocent Drinks, Nestlé, Princes, Yoplait, and Yo! Sushi.
The letter, delivered to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Secretary, Steve Reed, is a collaborative effort spearheaded by Jamie Crummie, the co-founder of Too Good to Go, and the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The coalition believes that enforcing mandatory reporting will compel companies to confront the realities of their food production and waste, thereby fostering both greater efficiency and the reuse of surplus products.
The proposed scheme suggests that food companies, subject to size thresholds, should be required to report on waste, excluding agricultural producers. This scheme follows Labour’s initiative to halve food waste by 2030 and coincides with Secretary Reed’s ambition for the UK to adopt a “circular economy” approach, aiming for reduced waste across various sectors.
Crummie expressed optimism to The Guardian, stating: “We are delighted to see the environment secretary set out the creation of a zero-waste economy as a priority.” He noted the wide support from over 30 food sector businesses, reinforcing the push for swift implementation of these measures to ensure transparency and accountability in food management.
Major food companies have recently demonstrated their commitment to waste reduction through strategic investments. Earlier this month, Tesco inaugurated a facility that transforms surplus food into animal feed, demonstrating the tangible steps already being taken in this direction. Similarly, Unilever’s Hellmann’s brand has introduced “Meal Reveal,” an AI-driven solution to help families optimise food use via innovative recipes.
The collective call for mandatory food waste reporting is aligned with broader national goals of achieving sustainability through a circular economy.
