UK government has planned a scheme to slash food waste
UK government has planned a scheme to slash food waste. UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove invited organisations to come forward and participate in government’s game-changing scheme.
They are raising a fund that will improve how charities and other organisations handle and distribute leftover food by investing in infrastructure such as weighing equipment, storage solutions, warehouses, industrial freezers and fridges, labelling equipment and vehicles.
This comes as Food Waste Champion Ben Elliot hosted more than 300 major players from the food industry at London’s prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum, where businesses including Nestlé, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose signed a pledge to take tough action on food waste – including halving food waste by 2030.
UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove said” I want to thank our Food Surplus and Waste Champion Ben Elliot for bringing together the biggest players from the world of food today to ‘Step up to the Plate’ and slash food waste. Every year, millions of tonnes of good, nutritious food is thrown away. Today I am opening the second round of funding to help organisations ensure that food is not thrown away, but goes to those most in need. Together we can deliver real change to stop good food going to waste.”
Currently around 55,000 tonnes of surplus food is redistributed from retailers and food manufacturers every year. It is estimated a further 100,000 tonnes of food – equating to 250 million meals a year – is edible and readily available but goes uneaten. Instead, this food is currently sent away for generating energy from waste, anaerobic digestion, or animal feed.
The government is committed to being a global leader in tackling food waste and is committed to supporting the United nation’s sustainable Development Goal 2 to end hunger by 2030
Gov.uk/ May,13
