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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is taking steps to (a) help reduce (i) supermarket and (ii) other retail food waste and (b) provide an outlet so that food that would otherwise go to waste is made available to (A) food banks and (B) other means to help people in need.

The Government is investing £2.6 million this year to combat food waste through funding the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

Through WRAP we work to address food waste in households and supply chains. This includes support for the Courtauld 2030 Commitment, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste, which includes a target of a 50% per capita reduction in food waste by 2030 against a 2007 baseline. Action through Courtauld includes working with businesses to measure and reduce food waste through the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap and the key tool to Target Measure and Act on waste. The government is currently conducting a consultation on options to improve food waste reporting by large businesses as measuring leads to a reduction in waste.

Grant-funding provided by Defra is also facilitating an increase in the availability, capacity, and capabilities of the redistribution sector laying the foundations for increasing surplus redistribution in the future. Since 2017 nearly £12 million has been awarded to over 250 redistribution organisations across the country. This funding has provided important infrastructure such as additional warehousing, vehicles, fridges and freezers. Recent data from WRAP stated that in 2021 over 106,000 tonnes was redistributed, worth over £330 million and the equivalent of over 253 million meals; over 40000 tonnes from the retail sector alone.

Surplus food redistribution in the UK 2015 to 2021 | WRAP

We also continue to support WRAP and its work with the redistribution sector in the provision of guidance and advice and the sharing of expertise and knowledge on practical ways of increasing redistribution and helping to facilitate new partnerships.

Surplus Food Redistribution Resource Hub | WRAP