Thank you for contacting me about food waste.
4.5 million tonnes of edible food are wasted in UK households annually, which is enough to fill 3,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Around a quarter of this food waste occurs because too much food has been prepared, cooked or served. As well as being worth £3.5 billion a year, it is also a waste of environmental resources used to produce it.
The Government is investing £2.6 million this year to combat food waste and is fully committed to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target, which aims to halve global food waste at consumer and retail levels by 2030. In addition, Ministers support the Courtauld 2030 Commitment, which works for a more sustainable supply chain tackling food waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water use. I understand that commitments include an updated target to halve food waste by 2030. In addition, my ministerial colleagues and I support consumer campaigns delivered by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), including Love Food Hate Waste, which helps citizens reduce food waste and make the connection with climate change.
Further, the food and drink waste hierarchy sets out a prioritised list of options to reduce waste, from preventing surplus and waste arising to redistributing to charities and commercial redistributors. Businesses are supported through the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap which sets out a plan to reduce food waste and increase redistribution through a Target, Measure and Act approach.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recently consulted on options to improve the reporting of surplus food waste by large food businesses in England. Following this, the Government will enhance the number of food businesses reporting through a voluntary approach, which will help to minimise regulatory burdens on businesses. I understand around a third of large food businesses already provide evidence to WRAP on their food waste and Ministers propose to increase this number.
Nearly £13 million has been awarded to over 250 redistribution organisations across the country since 2018 for the provision of warehousing, vehicles, fridges and freezers. These projects will continue to reduce food waste and deliver safe discounted food.
On the Island, I have written to major supermarkets to ask how they can assist food pantries and provide support for Islanders.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.