The UK government’s decision to rescind proposed food waste legislation has been met with significant criticism.
- The scrapped policy aimed to make food waste tracking mandatory for large businesses.
- Campaigners argue this could have decreased food costs and mitigated climate change impacts.
- Defra cites business costs, estimating £5.3m, as justification for the reversal.
- Alternatives offered include voluntary reporting, though effectiveness is questioned.
The UK government has attracted widespread criticism following its choice to withdraw proposed legislation intended to mandate food waste reporting for large and medium-sized businesses in England. This policy, which was expected to help reduce food prices and address climate concerns, is now at a standstill.
The environmental campaign group Feedback has provided research highlighting that even a modest 1% cut in food waste could save food businesses approximately £24.4 million annually. Proponents assert that these savings could benefit consumers by potentially lowering food prices.
In defence of their decision, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has pointed to the financial burden on businesses. Defra estimates that enforcing mandatory food waste reporting would cost around £5.3 million, a figure they suggest could exacerbate food price inflation if passed onto consumers.
Defra maintains its dedication to tackling food waste, proposing enhanced support for Wrap, a government-funded waste charity. This entity encourages businesses to voluntarily report their food waste figures. However, Wrap has expressed dissatisfaction with the current low level of voluntary reporting, noting that voluntary compliance often incurs higher costs than obligatory measures.
Advocates such as Martin Bowman from Feedback argue that overcoming the measurement and reporting costs would generate considerable savings, asserting these could more than offset the initial expenses. Adding to this, Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, emphasises that food waste contributes to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, eclipsing even the aviation industry’s environmental impact. Crummie describes the government’s decision as particularly disheartening during a time of acute climate awareness in Europe.
It’s clear from these discussions that the debate around effective strategies to manage food waste remains contentious, with strong arguments from both proponents of mandatory measures and the government advocating for voluntary reporting.
The ongoing criticism highlights the complex balance between economic pressures and environmental responsibilities in policy-making.
