Summary of reports, publications, directives, campaigns and
films exploring food waste or issues related to food waste
(2004 – 2012)
2004
Report Title
Race to the Top
Publication Status Published - Yes
Date of Report
November 2004
Author
Tom Fox and Bill Vorley
Source
International Institute for Environment and
Development (IIED),
Overview
This document records the experiences of a project
entitled Race to the Top: tracking supermarket
progress towards a fairer and greener food system.
The project was coordinated by the International
Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), an
independent, nonprofit policy research institute, but
involved (to varying degrees) the top ten UK
supermarket companies (by market share); twenty-four
other civil society organisations, and many other
individuals and organisations. This report is written by
IIED, and seeks to record and reflect on the lessons
learned from the project’s three-year life in relation to
the process itself, the methodologies that were
applied, and the content of the indicators that were
developed.
2005
Report Title
Behavior Change – Scoping the way forward.
Publication Status Published - Yes
Unpublished
Date of Report
March 2005
Author
Veronica Sharp - The Social Marketing Practice.
Source
Defra
Overview
Description
Waste policy has a pivotal role in influencing consumer
attitudes and behaviour change towards sustainable
approaches to waste and resource management.
It has been recognised by many waste professionals that there
is a large body of available research and information,
particularly from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme (LTCS)
projects, on the social dimensions of waste management and
on evaluation of campaign success or failure factors.
However, research in this area has not been exposed fully and
has suffered from a lack of central coordination.
Understanding the extent and characteristics of research on
influencing consumer attitudes and behavioural change
towards sustainable waste and resources management will
help to identify evidence-based opportunities that could
support recommendations for future policy development and
successful implementation of behavioural change.
This initial scoping study aims to provide a broad overview of
recent and developing research related to behavioural change
programmes in the UK. It will form the basis for future
research in this area.
Objective
The aim of this short scoping study is to provide a broad
overview of recent and developing research relating to
behaviour change programmes in the UK.
The objectives are four-fold:
- To identify and gather recent and developing research and
materials.
- To develop a categorised matrix to record the characteristics
of the research and materials identified.
- To undertake a gap analysis.
- To make recommendations to the Waste and Resources
Research Programme for future opportunities and priorities to
inform waste policy in this area.
2006
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Modeling the Impact of Lifestyle Changes on
Household Waste Arisings
Published – Yes
31 July 2006
AEA Technology, The Future Foundation and the
Social Marketing Practice.
Defra (WR0107) ,
http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Do
cument=WR0107_8324_FRP.pdf
Overview
Description
Considerable work has been done into understanding
the nature and arisings of household waste. However,
the impact of economic, social and consumer trends
on the volume and composition of household waste
has not been fully analysed. This research aimed to
identify these relationships and develop a model
capable of predicting the impact of different lifestyle
trends on the household waste composition over the
next 20 years.
The research aimed to develop an innovative and
flexible model that would provide Defra with a clear
idea of the economic, social, and consumer attitudinal
and behavioural factors that are likely to have the
greatest impact on future waste composition. The
model was aimed to assist Defra by providing:
- Better tools for forecasting and planning in
sustainable waste management policy, because the
model includes possible socio-economic impacts.
- Inputs to help Defra prioritise policy strategies for
waste reduction and behaviour change, thus
mitigating future waste growth.
- An interactive model that can be used to explore the
possible policy options available at local, regional and
national level, and their likely impacts on the
household waste stream.
The model that was constructed as a part of this
research was developed using the most up-to-date
data on waste arisings available in 2005, when the
project began i.e. up to and including data for
2003/04. Following completion of the initial research
and model development in July 2006, new data
became available, which showed a divergence
between the model predictions and the reported data
from 2002-2006. Defra have commissioned further
research to try to understand other factors that may
have influenced these changes in waste growth
patterns.
)
Report Title
Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS)
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Published – Yes
May 2006
Defra WR0105
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/03/28/pb11
649-food-industry/
Overview
The Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS) will
help the Food Industry contribute to the UK’s
sustainability goal.
This is important because the food industry accounts
for:

about 14% of energy consumption by UK
businesses and 7 million tonnes of carbon
emissions per year

about 10% of all industrial use of the public
water supply

about 10% of the industrial and commercial
waste stream

25% of all HGV vehicle kilometres in the UK

healthy food choices and information that will
assist consumers to adopt more healthy and
balanced diets; and

12.5% of the UK’s workforce
The strategy is aimed principally at the Food Industry,
but may be of interest to anyone wishing to find out
more about sustainability, reduction in energy
consumption, food transport, the use of water, the
management of waste, corporate social responsibility,
ethical trading or better regulation.
2007
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Project REDUCE – What not to Waste
Published – Yes
May 2007
Waste Watch
Defra WR0105
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Understanding Foodwaste
Published – Yes
March 2007
Author
Source
WRAP
ISBN: 1-84405-310-5
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/FoodWasteResearch
SummaryFINALADP29_3__07.pdf
Overview
Food waste is a big problem in the UK. Our estimates
suggest that we throw away as much as a third of all the
food we buy; and at least half of this is food that could have
been eaten, if we had only managed it better. The rest is
inedible, for example vegetable peelings, tea bags and meat
carcasses. Overall around 6.7 million tonnes of food waste
is produced by households – that’s about a fifth of our
domestic waste. We are all concerned about the amount of
packaging that we have to deal with, but in reality the
amount of food wasted by households in the UK is even
greater.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
We Don’t Waste Food
Published – Yes
May 2007
Author
Source
DEFRA
May 2007
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy/strate
Overview
gy07/documents/waste07-strategy.pdf
Aim
i. As a society, we are consuming natural resources at an
unsustainable rate. If every country consumed natural
resources at the rate the UK does, we would need three
planets to live on. The most crucial threat is from dangerous
climate change. Our goal is to make the transition towards
what the WWF and BioRegional call ‘One Planet Living’.
ii. Reducing waste is an important contributor to this goal.
Each year, we generate about 100 million tonnes of waste
from households, commerce and industry. Most of this ends
up in landfill where the biodegradable part generates
methane (a potent greenhouse gas) while valuable energy is
used in extracting and processing new raw materials.
iii. Our aim must be to reduce waste by making products
with fewer natural resources. We must break the link
between economic growth and waste growth. Most products
should be re-used or their materials recycled. Energy should
be recovered from other wastes where possible. For a small
amount of residual material, landfill will be necessary
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Waste Strategy for England
Published – Yes
May 2007
Author
Source
DEFRA
PB12596
Overview
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy/strate
gy07/documents/waste07-strategy.pdf
Aim
i. As a society, we are consuming natural resources at an
unsustainable rate. If every country consumed natural
resources at the rate the UK does, we would need three
planets to live on. The most crucial threat is from dangerous
climate change. Our goal is to make the transition towards
what the WWF and BioRegional call ‘One Planet Living’.
ii. Reducing waste is an important contributor to this goal.
Each year, we generate about 100 million tonnes of waste
from households, commerce and industry. Most of this ends
up in landfill where the biodegradable part generates
methane (a potent greenhouse gas) while valuable energy is
used in extracting and processing new raw materials.
iii. Our aim must be to reduce waste by making products
with fewer natural resources. We must break the link
between economic growth and waste growth. Most products
should be re-used or their materials recycled. Energy should
be recovered from other wastes where possible. For a small
amount of residual material, landfill will be necessary
Report Title
We don’t waste food! A Householder Survey
Publication Status
Date of Report
Published – Yes
May 2007
Author
Source
WRAP
EVAPP9
Overview
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/We_don_t_waste_fo
od_-_A_household_survey_mar_07.db6802f9.6397.pdf
A quantitative survey of householder’s perceptions and
behaviour around food and food waste. This report is one
strand in a three-strand research project. It examines
consumer attitudes and claimed behaviour in relation to
food waste, related research involves use of a food waste
diary and compositional
Report Title
Food Behaviour Consumer Research: Quantitative
Phase
Publication Status
Date of Report
Published – Yes
June 2007
Author
Source
WRAP
RWM005-001
Overview
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Food%20behaviour
%20consumer%20research%20quantitative%20jun%20200
7.pdf
Research was carried out for WRAP by Brook Lyndhurst to
investigate consumer attitudes and behaviours relating to
food and food waste, and what might motivate consumers to
throw away less food. The results of the work fed directly
into the development of the Love Food Hate Waste
consumer-facing campaign. It included a national
quantitative survey plus focus groups. The work was also
used to develop a metric that could be used to track the
impact of the campaign. This report focuses on the
quantitative aspects of the research.
2009
Report Title
Gone to Waste
Publication Status
Date of Report
Published – Yes
October 2009
Author
Source
Friends of the Earth
Overview
Report Title
Publication
Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/gone_to_waste.pdf
Despite progress in recent years countries across the
European Union (EU), including the United Kingdom (UK),
are continuing to dispose of significant amounts of valuable
recyclable materials to landfill or incineration. This analysis
examines this disposal in more depth, in an attempt to
provide a reasonable estimate of the amount of different
recyclable materials that is lost through land filling or
incineration. The study then estimates the value of these
lost materials, and the climate change benefits that could
have been gained by recycling these materials. We used a
study by Prognos which was published in 2008 (using the
best available 2004 data), to provide the figures on materials
disposed of in the twenty seven EU countries (EU27). This
report, Gone to waste, argues that around half of all the key
recyclables available in the municipal, commercial and
industrial (C&I) waste streams were being sent for disposal.
Down the Drain
Published – Yes
November 2009
Sarah Gray, WRAP
WRAP
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Down%20the%20drain%20%20report.pdf
Quantification and exploration of food and drink waste disposed of
to the sewer by households in the UK
Government food waste strategy – a missed
opportunity?
Publication Status Published – Yes
Date of Report
Sept 2009
Author
Food Ethics Council
Source
http://www.foodethicscouncil.org/node/325
Overview
Government’s campaign against food waste will only
have lasting benefits for the environment and food
security if it is backed up by economic policies that
tackle the causes of our throwaway society.
Report Title
That’s the take-home message from the Food Ethics
Magazine 'Waste: dishing the dirt'.
Wasting food is costly, damages the environment and,
in a world where a billion people are hungry, deeply
unfair. Writing in our magazine, experts in waste
management and redistribution, recycling and
redesign analyse the problems associated with food
waste, and offer creative and workable solutions.
Report Title
Opportunities for resource efficiency in the food
and drink sector'
Publication Status Published – Yes
Date of Report
2009
Author
WRAP
Source
http://www.foodethicscouncil.org/node/325
Overview
A report on 'Opportunities for resource efficiency in
the food and drink sector' based on the findings of the
waste prevention reviews conducted by WRAP in 2009
at selected sites of 13 FDF member companies has
recently been published.
Report Title
Publication Status
Evaluation of the WRAP separate food waste
collection trials.
Published – Yes
Unpublished
2010
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
How Low Can We Go?
Published – Yes
published
2010
Audsley, E., Brander, M., Chatterton, J.,
Murphy-Bokern, D., Webster, C., and Williams,
A.
http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/how_low_c
an_we_go.pdf
This study examines the feasibility of achieving
a significant reduction (possibly 70%) in
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the UK
food system by 2050. The work is consumption
based. It relates UK consumption to all direct
and indirect emissions from the supply of food
for UK consumption, both in the UK and
overseas. The study comprises an audit of the
greenhouse gas emissions arising from the UK
food economy and an examination of the
scope for substantial reductions of these
emissions in this timeframe. The overall aim
was to develop a set of scenarios that explore
how greenhouse gas emissions from the UK
food system may be reduced by 70% by the
year 2050.
Food waste within food supply chains:
quantification and potential for change
to 2050
Published – Yes
published
2010
Julian Parfitt1,*, Mark Barthel2 and Sarah
Macnaughton3
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/foresight/docs/foo
d-and-farming/drivers/dr20-food-waste-withinsupply-chains.pdf
Food waste in the global food supply chain is
reviewed in relation to the prospects for feeding
a population of nine billion by 2050. Different
definitions of food waste with respect to the
complexities of food supply chains (FSCs)are
discussed. An international literature review
found a dearth of data on food waste and
estimates varied widely; those for post-harvest
losses of grain in developing countries might
be overestimated. As much of the post-harvest
loss data for developing countries was
collected over 30 years ago, current global
losses cannot be quantified. A significant gap
exists in the understanding of the food waste
implications of the rapid development of ‘BRIC’
economies. The limited data suggest that
losses are much higher at the immediate postharvest stages in developing countries and
higher for perishable foods across
industrialized and developing economies alike.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Food
Waste Scheme
Published – Yes
published
2010
www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/...25.../30bb8a8c86cf-441f-8fb8-ff4c8c1c757a
Quantification and exploration of food and drink
waste disposed of to the sewer by households
in the UK
Food 2030
Published – Yes
published
2010
DEFRA
archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2
030strategy.pdf
this new strategy for food has been drawn up
following the publication of the Cabinet office
strategy Unit’s report in July 2008
1. Food Matters called for better integration of
food policy across Government and highlighted
two challenges: climate change and obesity.
2008 also saw food prices rising sharply for the
first time in a generation, provoking riots in
some parts of the world. In August 2009 we
published our assessment of UK food security
and set out what we need to do to maintain
it. this document brings all of the challenges
together for the first time.
How to Get a Zero Waste Economy
Publication Status
Published
Date of Report
12 May 2010
Author
James Greyson
Source
http://www.ukwin.org.uk/files/pdf/Greyson_201
0_Defra_Submission.pdf
Overview
What hope for another review?
The government of this country, like others,
have been regularly reviewing waste for
decades, without any meaningful shift towards
an economy that thrives without dependence
on systematically turning ever more resources
into ever more wastes.
Wastes of all kinds are filling up the world's
waters, lands and air - and governments are
snoozing on the job! This latest review does
not detect this systemic error nor ask how to
overcome it and consequently cannot be
expected to lead to meaningful change.
Instead this review continues to reinforce the
ways of the past:
Campaign Guide to the Waste Framework Directive transposition –
opportunities and actions for NGOs
Publication Status
Published
Date of Report
January 2010
Author
Stephane ARDITI, Ray GEORGESON
Source
http://www.ukwin.org.uk/files/pdf/Greyson_201
0_Defra_Submission.pdf
Overview
The European Union’s new Waste Framework
Directive (WFD) was approved in late 2008. It
provides the most significant revision of EU
waste management policies since their
inception in 1975 and is now the primary route
map for municipal and industrial (at least for
construction and demolition) waste policy
across Europe. It importantly requires Member
States to produce and implement mandatory
waste management plans that are also
required to be properly evaluated. This Guide
is a practical introduction to the main
provisions of the WFD. It provides EEB
members with an analysis of the key features
and targets within the Directive,
notably on the different steps of the waste
hierarchy and end-of-waste criteria. It
identifies areas where EEB members may be
able to focus campaigning efforts during the
period in early 2010 when Member States will
be advancing the transposition of the Directive
into national legislation. To support this
activity, a series of case studies of good (and
sometimes bad) practice across the EU are
showcased. Wherever possible, references
and weblinks have been made available in the
body of the Guide as footnotes to make the
Guide easier to use.
Waste arisings in the supply of food and drink to households in the UK
Publication Status
Published
Date of Report
March 2010
Author
Stephane ARDITI, Ray GEORGESON
Source
WRAP - RSC002-005
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Waste
%20arisings%20in%20the%20supply%20of%2
0food%20and%20drink%20toUK%20househol
ds%2C%20Nov%202011.pdf
This research builds on previous studies and
recent data collected by WRAP to derive
estimates of waste arisings in three key stages
of the UK food and drink supply chain and links
it with household waste. It identifies areas of
greatest opportunity for cost savings, improved
resource efficiencies and future interventions.
Overview
Report - fruit and vegetable resource maps
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Published
June 2010
Dr. Leon A. Terry (Head of Food Security and
Environmental Health, Cranfield University;
Source
Overview
CU), Dr.
Carlos Mena (CU), Dr. Adrian Williams (CU),
Mr. Nigel Jenney (Fresh Produce Consortium;
FPC) and Dr. Peter Whitehead (IGD)
WRAP - RSC008
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Resour
ce_Map_Fruit_and_Veg_final_6_june_2011.fc
479c40.10854.pdf
Research by WRAP has shown that
households waste around three million tonnes
of fruit and vegetables per year, raising
concerns about the economic and
environmental impacts of food waste. This
study has been conducted to quantify the level
of loss and waste of fruit and vegetables
before they reach consumers, through the
retail and wholesale supply chain.
Furthermore, the study determined how, where
and why the product was wasted
2011
Reducing Food Waste through Retail Supply Chain Collaboration
Publication Status
Published
Date of Report
March 2011
Author
Source
WRAP - RSC008
Overview
Report Title
http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/reducing-foodwaste-through-retail-supply-chaincollaboration-0
Five leading Grocery retailers and their supply
chains took part in an IGD-facilitated
Performance Improvement Programme to
reduce food and drink waste. This report
identifies new ways of working, which have
wider applicability to food retailers and
manufacturers not involved in the programme.
It includes eight case studies.
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
PREPARATORY STUDY ON FOOD WASTE
ACROSS EU 27
Published – Yes
published
2011
ISBN : 978-92-79-22138-5
DOI : 10.2779/85947
© European Communities, 2011.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/pdf/bio_
foodwaste_report.pdf
Covering the many facets of the problematic at
European level, the objectives of this study
were to:






Identify the key causes of food waste in
all sectors
Establish a baseline of food waste data
for the EU27
Quantify the environmental impacts of
food across its lifecycle
Inventory existing food waste prevention
measures
Forecast food waste generation levels
over fifteen years (2006-2020)
Develop policy recommendations for
prevention and analyse their impacts
A stakeholder consultation was launched to
solicit input from stakeholders on food waste
data, prevention measures and policy options.
The methodologies for elaborating the study
objectives are outlined below. Four sectors
were addressed in each task: Manufacturing,
Wholesale/Retail, Food Service and
Households. Although Agricultural food waste
was not within the scope of the study, there
may be important causes and quantities of food
waste to tackle in this sector through further
research.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Foresight. The Future of Food and Farming
Published – Yes
published
2011
The Government Office for Science, London
Source
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/foresight/docs/foo
d-and-farming/11-546-future-of-food-andfarming-report.pdf
Overview
Project aim: to explore the pressures on the
global food system between now and 2050 and
identify the decisions that policy makers need
to take today, and in the years ahead, to
ensure that a global population rising to nine
billion or more can be fed sustainably and
equitablystudy has been conducted to quantify
the level of loss and waste of fruit and
vegetables before they reach consumers,
through the retail and wholesale supply chain.
Furthermore, the study determined how, where
and why the product was wasted
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
New Estimate for Houseold Food and Drink
Waste in the UK
Published – Yes
published
Nov 2011
Tom Quested and Andrew Parry
WRAP,
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/New%2
0estimates%20for%20household%20food%20
and%20drink%20waste%20in%20the%20UK%
20FINAL%20v2%20%28updated%207thAugus
t2012%29.pdf
Food is a valuable resource and yet UK
households throw away millions of tonnes
every year, most of which could have been
eaten. Since 2007, helping consumers prevent
food waste has been a major focus for WRAP,
its funders and partners. Preventing this food
waste can save consumers and local
authorities millions of pounds each year and
deliver significant environmental benefits, in
terms of landfill avoidance, the mitigation of
climate change and a reduced burden on key
natural resources, including water This report
presents new estimates of food waste from UK
homes. Estimates were last updated in 2009
based on a combination of original WRAP
research (from 2007/8), and a 2006/7 synthesis
of local authority compositional studies. This
established a baseline against which progress
in terms of waste prevention could be
measured. This report describes work
undertaken to update the UK estimate of
household food waste, to determine what
progress has been made and the scale of the
challenge remaining.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Global Food Losses and Food Waste
Published – Yes
published
2011
Jenny Gustavsson
Christel Cederberg
Ulf Sonesson
Source
FAO
http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/mb060e/mb060
e00.pdf
Overview
The study highlights the losses occurring along
the entire food chain, and makes assessments
of their
magnitude. Further, it identifies causes of food
losses and possible ways of preventing them.
The results of the study suggest that roughly
one-third of food produced for human
consumption is lost
or wasted globally, which amounts to about 1.3
billion tons per year. This inevitably also means
that huge
amounts of the resources used in food
production are used in vain, and that the
greenhouse gas emissions caused by
production of food that gets lost or wasted are
also emissions in vain. Food is lost or wasted
throughout the supply chain, from initial
agricultural production down to final household
consumption. In medium- and high-income
countries food is to a significant extent wasted
at the consumption stage, meaning that it is
discarded even if it is still suitable for human
consumption. Significant losses also occur
early in the food supply chains in the
industrialized regions. In low-income countries
food is lost mostly during the early and middle
stages of the food supply chain; much less
food is wasted at the consumer level.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Government Review
of Waste Policy in
England 2011
Published – Yes
published
2011
DEFRA
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13
540-waste-policy-review110614.pdf
Overview
This Government is committed to being
the greenest ever. How we deal with
our waste is important for a range
of broader concerns such as material
security, energy, climate change and
environmental protection. While good
progress has been made over the last
decade to reduce the volume of waste
sent to landfill and increase recycling, we
can and must go further and faster. If we
do, we will see the benefits not only in a
healthier natural environment and reduced
impacts on climate change, but also in the
competitiveness of our businesses through
better resource efficiency and innovation,
helping to create a new, green economy
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Literature Review - Relationship between
Household Food Waste Collection and Food
Waste Prevention
Published – Yes
published
August 2011
WRAP
Source
http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Impact_
of_collection_on_prevention_FINAL_v2_17_8_
11.33a4f2d0.11159.pdf
Overview
SKM Enviros were commissioned by WRAP in
May 2010 to undertake a literature review of
published and
unpublished research, to assist in
understanding how food waste collections
might interact with and influence
householder behaviour in relation to food waste
prevention. For the purposes of this literature
review, the term food waste prevention is used
to describe only genuine waste prevention „at
source (i.e. before it is created) and not the
diversion of food waste from the residual waste
stream to home composting. Possible impacts
on home composting have also been
considered however, as changes to
composting behaviour in the presence of a
food waste collection may affect what can be
concluded about food waste prevention. The
initial brief for this project was to look for
evidence on how different types of food waste
collection/disposal schemes influence the
amount and types of food waste generated by
households. Of particular interest were
changing household behaviour when
collections are introduced, and what factors
might affect this. Additionally any evidence on
the connection between waste prevention
messages and food waste collections were
highlighted as being of interest.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action
Plan: A commitment to increasing energy
from waste through Anaerobic Digestion.
Published – Yes
published
2011
DECC and Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/anaer
obic-digestion-strat-action-plan.pdf
Overview
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
The Government made a commitment to
work towards a ‘zero waste’ economy in
the Coalition Programme for Government of
20 May 2010, and to introduce measures to
increase energy from waste through anaerobic
digestion (AD).
Fruit and vegetable resource maps: Mapping
fruit and vegetable waste through the retail and
wholesale supply chain.
Published – Yes
published
2011
WRAP
http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/resource-mapsfruit-and-vegetable-sector
Overview
This study has been conducted to quantify the
level of loss and waste of fruit and vegetables
before they reach consumers, through the retail
and wholesale supply chain. Furthermore, the
study determined how, where and why the
product was wasted.
Eleven fresh produce types were selected
based on their consumption levels, postharvest physiology and management. The 11
products
chosen
were
strawberries,
raspberries, tomatoes, lettuce, apples, onions,
potatoes, cabbage, turnip, citrus, avocados and
bananas; these being representative of fresh
produce categories consumed in the UK. The
research focused on the retail and wholesale
supply chains from field (UK grown products
only) to final (retail) customer.
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Sustainable food.
Published – Yes
published
2011
WRAP
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm20
1011/cmselect/cmenvaud/writev/food/m31.htm
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Applying the Waste Hierarchy: evidence
summary
Published – Yes
published
2011
WRAP
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13
529-waste-hierarchy-summary.pdf
2012
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Overview
Report Title
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
Source
Global Initiative on Food Loss
and Waste Reduction
Published – Yes
Unpublished
2012
Divine Njie
Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, www.fao.org/ag/ags
Fao’s action on Food loss Reduction Goes back
over 40 Years FAO has long recognized the
importance of concerted action on food loss
reduction. FAO’s systematic involvement in the
reduction of food losses dates back to the late
1960s with the Freedom from Hunger Campaign.
Following the first UN World Food Conference in
Rome in 1974, FAO established the Action
Programme for the Prevention of Food Losses
in 1978, which ran until the early 1990s. The
purpose of the programme was to assist developing
countries implement programmes for the reduction
of food losses at the national level through direct
action projects. More than 250 projects were
implemented worldwide under this programme.
Benefits of Third Sector Waste Management –
Annex 2 Case Study
Published - Yes
Unknown
Resources for Change, New Economics Foundation
and Resource Futures
Defra WR0506
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Documen
t=WR0506_8334_FRP.pdf
Overview
Report Title
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
PERFORMANCE IN THE FOOD CHAIN –
LEAN THINKING, CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT AND BENCHMARKING FO0425
Publication Status
Date of Report
Author
In process
2011 - 2013
Oakdene Hollins Ltd
Consultancy firm
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu
&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=17386&
FromSearch=Y&Status=2&Publisher=1&SearchTex
t=food&GridPage=1&SortString=ProjectCode&Sort
Order=Asc&Paging=10#Description
The UK food chain contributes significantly to the
national economy but has considerable
environmental impacts including emissions to air
and water of greenhouse gases and other
pollutants, use of water and natural resources, and
waste generation. Scope exists to tackle these
negative impacts by improving resource efficiency,
competitiveness and environmental performance
across the food chain.
Source
Overview
Some research has already examined opportunities
to reduce the impacts of agricultural commodities to
the farm gate through improved agricultural
production techniques and changing diets.
However, less is known about technologies and
practices which may reduce the environmental
impacts in the food chain, notably Lean production
techniques. For the purposes of this research the
food chain is post-farm gate and includes the
manufacture, distribution, retail and foodservices
sectors.
This research project, proposed by the consultancy
firm Oakdene Hollins in response to a Defra
Invitation to Tender under Competition Code FFG
1106, seeks to address this evidence gap by
answering the following questions:
1) What benchmarking and auditing tools are
available to assess resource use efficiency and
environmental performance in the food chain? What
are the available options for improvement
(technologies, practices) and what is their costeffectiveness? The research will focus on hotspots
in the food chain, and use lifecycle thinking for
appraisal of options.
2) What is the current rate of uptake of tools for
assessing and improving performance and what are
the barriers and drivers to uptake? What are the
typical savings, benefits and costs that can be
obtained through their use? What does this mean in
terms of potential to reduce negative impacts and
improve efficiency of the food chain?
Food Waste Projects











Save Food
FUSIONS (Food Use for Social Innovation by Optimising Waste
Prevention Strategies)
WRAP
Fareshare
Foodcycle
Feeding the 5000
Plan Zero Heroes
Love Food Hate Waste
Fabian Society – Want not, Waste not
Wastewatch
Trussell Trust
Campaigns




Films
SRA – Too Good To Waste
Feeding the 5000
Hugh’s Fish Fight
Love Food Hate Waste
http://foodwastemovie.com/about/the-rules/
Waste = Food
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/waste-food/
Dive!
http://www.divethefilm.com/facts-about-food-waste.aspx
Taste the Waste
http://tastethewaste.com/info/film
Arthur Potts
http://www.wastedfood.com/2010/12/08/ted-talks-waste/ (2010)
Tristram Stuart
Global food waste scandal TED talks
http://www.ted.com/talks/tristram_stuart_the_global_food_waste_scandal.html
Just Eat It – the documentary film: a food waste story
www.foodwastemovie.com/
KEY Policies and Initiatives
Landfill directive (1999/31/EC) - sets targets for the UK and other EU countries
to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (largely household
waste) sent to landfill. It obliges the UK to reduce landfilling BMW by two-thirds of
its 1995 level by 2020. The principle instruments to achieve this in the UK are the
landfill allowance schemes and landfill tax discussed below.
Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) - Revisions to the WFD were adopted in
December 2008. The revised Directive has a number of key features of interest:
 The EU’s first ever general recycling targets, incorporating household
waste (50% by 2020)
 The establishment in EU law of the ‘waste hierarchy’
 The establishment of a definition of ‘by-products’
 The establishment of waste prevention objectives for the first time
(although firm targets were not set)

A longer term aim to establish waste prevention and decoupling
objectives for 2020 in five years time (2014), but only if deemed
appropriate;
 The reclassification of waste-to-energy incinerators as recovery
facilities, provided they meet certain efficiency standards1;
 The ability for Member States to implement stronger measures for
Extended Producer Responsibility
(EEB, 2010 )
Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 1998 - For businesses which
produce packaged products, or place packaging or packaged goods on the market.
The main criteria of relevance are that 'Packaging must be manufactured so as to
permit reuse or recovery in accordance with specific requirements' and minimisation
of packaging volume and weight, consistent with the level necessary for safety,
hygiene and acceptance by the consumer.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 –
One of four EU producer responsibility regulations (the others being for batteries,
vehicles and electrical goods), these represent quite a turn around for a waste
agenda previously dominated by a doctrine of responsibility lying with
ownership. The regulations are for businesses which handle more than 50 tonnes
of packaging in a year and have a turnover of more than £2 million. The main point
of relevance is that they must 'pay for the recovery and recycling of a certain
amount of packaging waste' and certify through (tradable) Packaging Recovery
Notes.
Ecodesign of Energy Using Products Directive 2005 – provides a framework for
setting legal standards for products, initially for their energy consumption, but
potentially for a wider range of issues.
Animal By-Products Legislation – created in the wake of foot and mouth and BSE
etc. Aims to prevent animal by-products from presenting a risk to animal or public
health through the transmission of disease. This continues to prevent catering waste
from being fed to livestock.
Biowaste directive –Plans for a directive specifically relating to organic waste, most
likely legislating for mandatory separate collection, were shelved in 2001. They
appear to been revisited more recently but yet again stalled. These would obviously
be of great relevance to the treatment (but not creation) of waste arising in food
systems.
Government led initiatives
In 2006 the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy was launched. Following this
‘Champions Groups’ were created, including one on waste. Although the final
report of the waste group is dated (May 2007), the report mainly focused on food
manufacturing and retail as more data is available at these levels, making
recommendations for food industry action, through which it was felt that reductions
of food and packaging wastes by 3% a year over 5 years from a 2006 baseline was
realistic.
WRAP’s2 ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign is a consumer-focused behavioural
change programme. The campaign reduced household food waste by 110,000
tonnes between 2007 and 2008 and Defra has extended this funding to 2011 and
set a waste reduction target of 250,000 tonnes.
Anaerobic digestion Driven by the same facts on food waste as the Love Food
Hate Waste campaign, introducing measures to increase energy from waste through
AD was one of the coalition government’s commitments now set out in the
Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan (2011). Produced by DECC and
DEFRA, the ADSAP highlights how the movement towards AD is driven by a desire
to reduce both landfill and GHG emissions, and represents the coming together of
waste and energy agendas.
The Courtauld Commitment is a voluntary agreement coordinated by WRAP
aiming to improve resource efficiency and reduce the carbon and wider
environmental impact of the grocery retail sector. The CC is now in its second
phase, moving past solely weight-based targets (to include carbon-based) and
focusing on the whole supply chain. It builds on Phase 1, still aiming to reduce
primary packaging (the aim is to reduce the carbon impact of this grocery packaging
by 10%) and household food and drink waste (to reduce UK household food and
drink waste by 4%), and also introduces secondary and tertiary packaging (into the
former target), and supply chain waste (to reduce traditional grocery product and
packaging waste in the grocery supply chain by 5%).
Hospitality responsibility deal – Under the recent Waste Review the government
is reported to be planning a voluntary responsibility deal with the hospitality sector
(mysterydining,.com, 2011) It will target food waste, perhaps with carbon related
targets. There are also a number of other, non-government led, initiatives relating to
waste in food systems to be aware of.
Industry action - food businesses are taking action on waste, Tesco, J Sainsbury,
Wal-Mart (ASDA), Morrisons and Marks and Spencer are now aiming to send zero
waste to landfill by 2015 or sooner and FDF members have pledged to send zero
food and packaging waste to landfill by 2015.