A world first: UK food industry commits to a landmark roadmap to halve food waste

25th September 2018

• Businesses take the lead to drive down UK’s annual £20 billion food waste bill, equivalent to more than £300 per UK citizen.
• All major retailers and 50% of larger food businesses to Target-Measure-Act and report on food waste by September 2019.
• 90 organisations begin epic journey - taking a ‘farm to fork’ approach to commit to a ground-breaking Food Waste Reduction Roadmap to halve food waste.

The UK’s largest retailers, food producers, manufacturers, and hospitality and food service companies have committed to ambitious milestones laid out in a new ground-breaking industry Food Waste Reduction Roadmap; developed with IGD and WRAP to further reduce the UK’s food waste problem.

The Roadmap encompasses the entire supply chain from field to fork, and clearly shows the actions large businesses will take to address food waste both in their own operations, and by working to support their suppliers. It also sets out how these businesses can engage with consumers to help reduce their food waste.

The Roadmap has the support of the UK’s largest food trade bodies, businesses across the supply chain and Defra, Welsh and Scottish Governments. Widespread adoption of Target, Measure, Act is vital to achieve national policy objectives and targets on food waste reduction, including Courtauld 2025 and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3.

Today WRAP announce 90 early adopters who are supporting the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap. By September 2019, the first major milestone on the Roadmap, the aim is to have fifty per cent of the UK’s largest 250 food businesses measuring, reporting and acting on food waste. With all 250 companies doing so by 2026. To make this happen, the Roadmap is published with a wide range of new resources to enable businesses to act consistently, and support work already underway by many companies through setting out a clear collaborative journey the whole industry can follow.

Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP, explains “Together, WRAP and IGD have mobilised industry leaders to create a bold sector-wide Roadmap, showing clearly what UK businesses must do. This Roadmap is hugely ambitious, and I’m delighted that the UK is the first country anywhere to set a nation-wide plan towards delivering its part in SDG 12.3. There are many businesses working hard already, but many more need to focus on food waste. If the food sector follows this Roadmap it will significantly accelerate work to achieving both Courtauld 2025, and SDG12.3 targets. And I urge other companies to adopt the principles laid out in the Roadmap and join the rest of the sector on this historic journey.”

Joanne Denney-Finch, Chief Executive of IGD said “The Food Waste Reduction Roadmap presents a huge opportunity for every business within the UK food and grocery industry to provide reassurance for shoppers. UK shoppers see industry food waste at the top of their priorities and by working together with the total food chain, we’re delighted to have secured a world first, with the UK leading the way in this important area. As a result, I’m confident we will see continued momentum on this high profile initiative.”

Marcus Gover will also launch The Food Waste Atlas in New York later today at the annual event of Champions 12.3; organised by the World Resources Institute (WRI). Atlas is the world’s first global reporting portal to allow the capture and reporting of global food loss and waste data in one place. Developed between WRAP and WRI**, Atlas allows companies and Governments to publish and compare their data with others, including businesses supporting the UK Roadmap.

Businesses wishing to access the free resources and find out more about the using the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap should click here.