HaFSA ends with mixed results on waste

Foodservice businesses involved in the Hospitality and Food Service Agreement (HaFSA) exceeded their food waste prevention target between 2012 and 2015 but missed their target to send 70% of waste for recycling, anaerobic digestion or composting.

WRAP’s final HaFSA report, published this week, revealed that businesses that took part in the voluntary scheme saved an estimated £67m through their combined actions to prevent food waste over the three year period.

Signatories were particularly successful in reducing food and packaging waste, exceeding the 5% target and achieving an 11% reduction against the baseline, the equivalent to throwing away 48m less meals.

However, the ambition to increase the overall rate of food and packaging waste recycled and sent to anaerobic digestion or composted to at least 70% by the end of 2015 was missed, with the final figure standing at 56%.

WRAP said the length of time required to implement new contracts and incorporate food waste collections had contributed to the target not being met.

Work begun under the auspices of HaFSA will now be carried forward into WRAP’s new Courtauld Commitment 2025, which aims to cut waste and greenhouse gas emissions associated with food and drink in the UK by at least one-fifth per capita, and reduce the impact of water use with cumulative savings of around £20bn.

WRAP has also announced the results of the Courtauld Commitment 3, which covers food and packaging waste in manufacturing, retail and in the home.

Targets to reduce food and packaging waste by 3% in manufacturing and retail and to improve packaging design and recyclability in the grocery supply chain without increasing the carbon impact were both met.

However, a target to reduce household food and drink waste by 5% was not reached with data estimating that the amount of food wasted in 2015 was 7.3Mt compared to 7Mt in 2012.

WRAP said the figure showed that progress to reduce household food waste at a UK level had stalled and cited UK population growth, falling food prices and increased personal earnings as possible contributing factors.