Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is among campaigners leading a petition against the government’s decision to drop plans for the introduction of mandatory food waste reporting.
The Grocer revealed in June ministers were to drop plans for companies to be forced to measure and produce annual figures for food waste, first proposed by Michael Gove in 2018.
Defra confirmed the decision last month, justifying it by saying mandatory reporting would hit the industry with costs of almost £70m over 12 years, which would be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
Instead it has proposed a back-up plan to spend £12m encouraging a greater uptake in voluntary reporting.
But a campaign led by Feedback claims the cost to the industry would be massively outweighed by the financial benefits in reducing food waste.
It said if mandatory food waste reporting in England led to even a 1% reduction in food waste in large and medium-sized food businesses it would result in net savings to food businesses of an estimated £24.4m per year.
A change.org petition launched by Feedback to calling for the policy to be reinstated has already gained nearly 5,000 signatures. A statement in support of the policy was also launched today from 27 organisations, including Greenpeace, the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Sustain and Wildlife & Countryside Link, as well as public figures including Fearnley-Whittingstall.
He said: “While people are going hungry from soaring food inflation and we face climate crisis, it’s a scandal that the government is throwing away the nation’s food, by scrapping this vital food waste law. This policy is an absolute no-brainer – popular with both the public and businesses, saving food, reducing emissions, and helping reduce food inflation to address the cost of living crisis.
“The government must urgently reconsider scrapping mandatory food waste reporting, so that food waste gets counted, and good food, precious energy, and people’s money, gets saved.”
The introduction of mandatory food waste reporting was one of the key themes of The Grocer’s long-running Waste Not Want Not Campaign against food waste.
Experts have warned the government backtrack adds to the risk of the UK failing to hit its carbon reduction pledges.
Others calling for the government to reverse its decision include the UK’s biggest retailer Tesco and Wrap, even though it has been charged with leading the government’s watered-down plan.
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