Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Aldi and the big four multiples are among the retailers that have signed up to challenging new targets aimed at cutting food waste in the supply chain and at home.
Under the third phase of the Courtauld Commitment, which launched today, 45 signatories – including manufacturers and major brands such as Heineken and Mars – agreed to work towards three new goals designed to reduce waste by 1.1 million tonnes by 2015.
These are:
- Reducing household food and drink waste by 5% by 2015
- Cutting traditional grocery ingredient, product and packaging waste in the grocery supply chain by 3% by 2015
- Improving packaging design through the supply chain to maximise recycled content as appropriate, improve recyclability and deliver product protection to reduce food waste while ensuring no increase in the carbon impact of packaging by 2015.
The Courtauld Commitment, which is overseen by the Waste and Resources Action Plan (WRAP) has achieved considerable success since its launch in 2005. In phase one, 670,000 tonnes of food waste were avoided between 2005 and 2009 and annual UK household waste fell by 1.1 million tonnes between 2006/7 and 2010.
To date Courtauld has delivered a 3% reduction in household food waste, with final results due to be announced later this year. Courtauld 2 launched in 2010, with an emphasis on reducing carbon emissions in the retail sector.
“Despite the downturn and other challenges affecting business, the retail industry is continuing to innovate and collaborate on waste reduction as well as working hard to meet wider green goals”
Andrew Opie, BRC
Measures introduced by retailers to help limit waste in the home include offering a variety of product portion sizes, providing advice on how to store food, and suggesting recipes for using up leftovers. Retailers are also actively involved in the ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ campaign run by WRAP.
“These new targets build on the major strides already being made by grocery retailers to reduce food and packaging waste,” said the BRC’s food and sustainability director, Andrew Opie.
“Despite the downturn and other challenges affecting business, the retail industry is continuing to innovate and collaborate on waste reduction as well as working hard to meet wider green goals across all aspects of its operations. That’s delivering real environmental benefits as well as value for customers.”
Dr Liz Goodwin, WRAP’s CEO, said: “Courtauld 3 builds on the achievements of Courtauld 1 and 2. Over the course of the three phases of the agreement, a 20% reduction in UK household food waste is achievable – a deeply impressive outcome.”
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