Redistribution of food waste by retailers, manufacturers and foodservice businesses increased by 50% in the past two years, according to new data from WRAP.
A total of 43,034 tonnes of food waste with a value of almost £130m was redistributed in 2017, compared with 28,555 tonnes in 2015.
Redistribution has grown in both years from the baseline, with commercial redistribution (whereby surplus food is redistributed for profit) up 30% and charitable redistribution reporting 80% growth since 2015.
Although manufacturers accounted for the majority of the overall volume of surplus food redistributed, much of the growth in charitable redistribution is being driven by retailers who donated 11,931 tonnes, an increase of 114%.
The positive news was tempered by the fact that the overall picture on food waste redistribution is less rosy than previously thought. WRAP said previous data had overestimated the volume of waste being redistributed and as part of its latest announcement amended the 2015 baseline from 47,000 tonnes to around 28,500 tonnes. It attributed the change to improvements to the research methodology and to more robust and granular data from redistribution organisations.
And WRAP suggested there is much work for the industry still to do with the potential to increase the amount of food redistributed from retailers and manufacturers by a massive 220,000 tonnes compared with the 2015 baseline.
Foodservice and hospitality businesses also have significant scope for improvement. The sector accounted for just 3% of charitable redistribution in 2017, albeit WRAP noted that this was likely to be an underestimate as food surplus from the sector often needs to be redistributed and consumed more quickly leading businesses to make more use of smaller, local organisations.
“It’s great to see such a rapid rise in redistribution and the growing number of partnerships between the supply chain and charities,” said Peter Maddox, director, WRAP. “This stops good food going to waste, and helps feed people. But we know there’s much more to do. Our research shows food redistributed, from manufacturers and retailers, could increase further, by more than 200,000 tonnes.”
