Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing legal regulations to mandate the donation of surplus edible food from supermarkets to food redistribution organisations.

The Government supports action to reduce food waste across the food industry through WRAP’s UK Food and Drink Pact and the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap. These programmes help businesses measure, reduce and report food waste, set targets, and increase food redistribution. Participating retailers represent most of the UK grocery market and have shown that food waste can be reduced through better measurement and management. Where surplus food arises, businesses, including supermarkets, are expected to prioritise the safe redistribution of edible food to charities and people. In 2024, the retail sector redistributed 97,889 tonnes, 46% of surplus food redistributed in the UK.