| The UN claims that Food production must double by | | | | ludicrous". An 18-month study, which found that "too |
| 2050 to meet the demand of the worlds growing | | | | many supermarket practices are still unhealthy, unjust |
| population. However, most of the worlds productive | | | | and unsustainable", said Wrap should adopt a "more |
| farmland is already in use, so increased food | | | | aspirational approach to reducing waste in food retail |
| production will require extending intensive farming | | | | by setting longer-term targets and [supporting] a |
| methods with greater use of pesticides and fertilizers | | | | culture of zero waste". |
| leading to the increased release of greenhouse gases. | | | | All this suggests that voluntary regulations are either |
| Paradoxically, UK government policy is attempting to | | | | ineffective or far too slow to take effect. The |
| deal with both of these problems simultaneously with | | | | bottom line is that waste is endemic to |
| plans to "boost food production in Britain and reduce | | | | contemporary economic ideology because corporate |
| its impact on the environment". Is this realistic, or is | | | | obligations require them to increase growth and |
| there an easier way? | | | | profits and an effective means of achieving this is by |
| Calculations based on waste and calorie intake | | | | encouraging excessive public consumption. Until these |
| suggest that the UK has access to at least double | | | | objectives are replaced with ones that are more |
| the food necessary for adequate nutrition. Since | | | | beneficial to society than businesses, any significant |
| farming, retail and eating habits are probably similar | | | | progress in meeting sustainable targets without |
| throughout the developed world, this implies there is | | | | imposing strong regulations will be very limited. |
| no real food crisis in terms of the amount produced, | | | | Based on this information it is possible to draw up a |
| only in how it is consumed. Therefore, a better | | | | list of obligations that could be imposed on the food |
| strategy must be to focus on reducing food waste | | | | industry to significantly reduce food waste. |
| rather than growing more. This would minimise the | | | | 1 Retailers should be obliged to stock a proportion of |
| impact on the environment, reduce food expenditure, | | | | food, that would be presently rejected due to |
| and achieve better food security with a healthier | | | | appearance, but otherwise meets safety standards. |
| lifestyle for the population. | | | | This could be marketed as cheap 'sustainable' |
| Using our present methods, significant food waste | | | | produce in addition to, or possibly in preference to |
| occurs at all stages of the food industry. The first | | | | expensive organic foods which are of dubious health |
| waste stream occurs at the production stage due to | | | | and environmental benefits. |
| damage and accidental harvesting through weather, | | | | 2 Hotels, Restaurants and other communal places of |
| pestilence and machinery, resulting in unsuitable quality | | | | eating could purchase this sustainable produce to |
| and appearance. In storage, losses can be attributed | | | | meet their environmental targets. The food could can |
| to pests and micro-organisms causing reductions in | | | | be re-cut for aesthetic value or simply merged with |
| the nutritional values and edibility of food. Further | | | | other foods in pies & stews etc. |
| losses are generated during processing and packaging | | | | 3 Retailers should be obliged to sell all stocked food |
| due to the handling of food and by shrinkage in | | | | by a 'use by' date or pay a tax that should be set |
| weight or volume. Whilst foods which contradict | | | | high enough to discourage waste. One method of |
| safety standards need to be removed from the | | | | achieving this would be to introduce a variable pricing |
| food chain, such regulations can conflict with efforts | | | | mechanism based on the demand throughout the sale |
| to reuse food waste such as in animal feed. The | | | | period which is gradually reduced to near zero by the |
| amount of food wasted before arriving at the retailer | | | | use by date. |
| is unknown but may amount to at least 20% of that | | | | 4 Damaged packets should be re-labelled as low |
| farmed. | | | | carbon pet food or animal feed if this doesn't |
| Of the food which arrives at the retailer 5% is | | | | endanger safety, or if this is not possible, |
| wasted due to exceeding 'use by' dates and package | | | | biodegraded using composting and anaerobic digestion |
| damage. Dr Martin Caraher, an expert in food policy | | | | to produce methane for fuel and enrich agricultural |
| at City University in London, says: "Use-By dates are | | | | soil. |
| in retailers financial interests. If customers throw food | | | | 5 To avoid consumer waste, all foods should be |
| away, they have to replace it by buying even more. | | | | purchasable in smaller amounts at a constant unit |
| Use-By dates can be a happy accident for them". | | | | price and separated into compact sealable units to |
| The largest waste stream is by the consumers | | | | ensure they are kept fresh as long as possible. This |
| themselves who throw away 30% of all preventable | | | | would avoid excess buying which often leads to |
| wasted purchased food. Whilst a proportion of this is | | | | waste. |
| discarded by being left uneaten on the plate or | | | | 6 Retail policies that lead to excess buying should be |
| unserved, much food is rejected for being unfresh or | | | | discouraged. These include moving items around the |
| beyond the 'use by' date of the package label. Whilst | | | | store and placing essentials at the rear of store to |
| this could be blamed on poor domestic management, | | | | encourage coverage and residence time. Retail |
| consumers are heavily influenced by marketing | | | | promotion and prominent positioning that encourages |
| practices, and have limited control over purchase | | | | purchasing should also be reserved for sustainable |
| quantities and the packaging of food, which are the | | | | products. |
| responsibility of the food industry. | | | | 7 When new products are introduced small samples |
| Finally, including children it is estimated that we eat on | | | | should always be offered, so as to avoid buying large |
| average about 2320 Kcal/day/person in the UK. This, | | | | quantities of unwanted food. |
| could be an underestimate, yet is still 10% more | | | | 8 Unnecessary purchases and impulse buying could be |
| calories than is necessary for an average persons | | | | minimised by avoiding trips to the retailer altogether |
| recommended intake based on the UK age | | | | through Internet ordering and cost competitive and |
| distribution and gender and reference nutrient intake | | | | environmental delivery schemes such as the COAST |
| tables. In addition to placing extra strain on the food | | | | system suggested in this report. This purchasing |
| supply chain, this can lead to a variety of health | | | | system would help consumers manage shopping |
| problems for individuals who eat far more than their | | | | more efficiently via web based shopping lists, by |
| required intake. | | | | anticipating when a new item is needed from the |
| In total, according to these calculations only about | | | | date and their purchasing history. This system would |
| 45% of the food actually farmed is actually | | | | reduce waste and excess eating by minimising any |
| necessary for adequate nutrition, and most of the | | | | excess food lying around the home. |
| remaining 55% of waste is preventable, amounting to | | | | 9 Restaurants and fast food outlets should always |
| the equivalent of 72 million tonnes of greenhouse | | | | offer the option of smaller portions with a |
| gases per year in the UK. This is approximately 10% | | | | proportionate reduction in price. Private servings are |
| of the total UK output and almost as much as its | | | | obviously more difficult to reduce; however, |
| entire transport system! | | | | promoting a general culture of rejecting waste and |
| There have been previous initiatives to reduce food | | | | extravagance should be nurtured amongst the public. |
| waste. The official UK government line is that "most | | | | 10 Health advice needs to consider promoting more |
| of the major supermarket retailers in the UK....have | | | | durable foods in preference to perishable fruit and |
| committed to work with the Government's | | | | vegetables if these offer a more practical, equally |
| waste-reduction programme (WRAP) to identify | | | | nutritious and 'low carbon' alternative. |
| ways they can help us, their customers, to reduce | | | | 11 Temperature sensitive strips could be placed on |
| the amount of food thrown away". | | | | selected packages that warn the consumer if the |
| However, are we taking a too lenient line with the | | | | fridge thermostat has been set too low. |
| food industry? The Sustainable Development | | | | 12 Set tough annual targets for reduced waste |
| Commission thinks so. It condemned targets set by | | | | throughout the food industry |
| WRAP as "unambitious and lacking urgency". with | | | | These measures should increase the worlds food |
| multi-buy promotions helping to fuel waste and | | | | supply by reducing food waste rather than increasing |
| obesity in Britain. Mr Lang, who is also professor of | | | | production with a corresponding benefit for the |
| food policy at City University, London said that three | | | | environment. |
| years ago, the government-funded WRAP left it up | | | | Let's not be reticent about confronting businesses |
| to supermarkets to find voluntary "solutions to food | | | | and politicians with these ideas if they claim to be |
| waste" in an agreement dubbed the Courtauld | | | | genuinely concerned about minimising waste, and |
| Commitment. "The Government is frankly not using | | | | ensure we are not fobbed of with offers of |
| its leverage adequately. It really should toughen up on | | | | voluntary measures and green wash! |
| Courtauld, which must be enforced because this is | | | | |