Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, M&S write to government demanding 'new law'
More than 30 businesses have written to the environment secretary calling for mandatory reporting of wasted food - including some of the largest supermarkets in the country. The letter from retailers, including supermarkets and food producers, has been sent to the Labour Party environment secretary, Steve Reed.
In it, the businesses demand a mandatory reporting of wasted food. The letter is signed by several of the UK’s biggest supermarkets, including Tesco, Waitrose, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, as well as the BRC, which represents shops.
Nestlé, Princes, Innocent Drinks, Yoplait and Yo! Sushi have also added their names to the calls. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The amount of food we waste is a stain on our country. We are working with business to drive down food waste and make sure food is put on the plates of those in greatest need. This includes supporting surplus food to be redistributed to charities and others that can use it and on programmes to help citizens reduce their food waste.”
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Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, who is also vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on the environment, said: “The number of meals that are simply thrown away in the UK each week is deeply concerning. To reduce food waste across the board, we first need to move beyond the throwaway culture we have become far too used to.
“That’s why we are pushing to work with businesses by putting in place the right incentives to cut back on waste and overconsumption.” Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good to Go, said: “Food waste is one of the largest contributors to climate change.
"In the UK alone, we throw away 10.7m tonnes of food annually. We are delighted to see the environment secretary set out the creation of a zero-waste economy as a priority. In line with this ambition, and with the support of more than 30 businesses from across the food sector, we hope to see swift implementation of mandatory food waste reporting to ensure transparency and accountability when it comes to our food.”