NANDO’S, THE Sustainable Restaurant Association and its members, and the Groceries Code Adjudicator will be questioned by the House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy tomorrow (Wednesday 18 December), as part of its ongoing investigation into the EU’s contribution to Food Waste Prevention.
In its first session, at 10.30am, the Committee will speak to:
- Bob Gordon, Do the Right Thing Manager, Nando’s;
- Mark Linehan, Managing Director, Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA);
- Neil Forbes, Chef Director, Café St Honoré (member of the SRA); and
- Giles Whitely, Chief Executive Officer, SWR Waste Management, who are expert in the restaurant sector.
The Committee will question the witnesses about the recent study by WRAP, which found that 372,000 tonnes of food if thrown away by pubs and restaurants each year. It will ask the witnesses if these are figures they recognise, how they can explain them and what actions and initiatives they are undertaking to reduce food waste. The Committee will also ask about communication within the food service industry, supply chain cooperation to minimise waste at all stages and what methods could be introduced in the EU in order to drive action to reducing food waste.
Following on, at 11.30am, the Committee will hear from Christine Tacon CBE, Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA).
The Committee will question Ms Tacon on the role of the GCA and its desired impact; the way in which the Groceries Code applies to interactions between UK and EU suppliers and its impact on UK/EU retailer/supplier relationships; what types of issues covered by the Code might indirectly result in food waste; and to what extent investigations by the GCA might drive wider changes within the grocery supply chain that are, in turn, likely to reduce food waste.
The evidence session will start at 10.30am on Wednesday 18 December in Committee Room 2A of the House of Lords.
