Waste Minimisation

Preventing and minimising waste generated within the food chain has great potential to reduce the impacts of food production and are important at all stages of the food chain. Not only do minimisation strategies reduce the need for waste disposal but they also prevent the waste of embedded energy, water and materials. For example, by incorporating an effective waste minimisation strategy food producers can reduce their demand for energy, water, raw materials as well as reducing waste disposal and its associated costs. Waste minimisation strategies therefore usually represent a considerable opportunity to both save costs and reduce the impacts of food production.

Consumer Initiatives

WRAPs high profile campaign "Love Food, Hate Waste" has drawn attention to the extent of domestic food waste within the UK. On average, we waste a third of the food we buy. This represents an enormous consumption of energy and resource throughout the food chain in order to grow, produce, package and transport food which is not even eaten. Although some councils are now moving towards seperate food waste collections at the moment the majority of this food is disposed of in the residuals bin ending up in landfill.

Retailer Initiatives