A Consumer Goods Forum report published this week found that 16 of their members produced 2.21 million tonnes of food waste in 2021. They say this will be a baseline from which they aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030.
The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)’s Food Waste Coalition was launched in 2020 to bring together some of the world’s largest retailers and manufacturers to try and tackle food waste in their supply chains. The report was made possible when 16 of the 21 members submitted voluntary data for the report.
The CGF hailed the report as a ‘significant step in the industry’s journey to effective reporting and greater transparency on progress’. Although, as one commentator pointed out, ‘it is also a slightly odd demonstration of “transparency” when the companies involved in providing data are not named’.
It is a stark reminder of how far we have to go, not just in tackling food waste, but accurately measuring it.
WRAP estimates that the 28.2 million households in the UK produce 6.7 million tonnes of food waste a year. From the CGF report, we’ve learned that only 16 companies are responsible for almost a third of that number. The question remains: if 2.21 million tonnes is waste by just 16 companies, how much food is being wasted by ALL food companies? And why aren’t they being held accountable?
The government had a chance to introduce mandatory food waste reporting for large food companies in the UK, but ditched it this summer despite 99% of consultation respondents registering their agreement with the policy.
Without this kind of data, we will never have full transparency over food waste in the UK, nor adequate mechanisms to tackle it.
Food charity Feedback are seeking a judicial review over the government’s refusal to enforce mandatory reporting, with broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall lending his voice to the campaign. You can support them here.
FOOD WASTE STORIES 