- The UK to join UN Coalition on Food is Never Waste – marking
Food Waste Action Week
- Coalition’s goal is to halve food waste by 2030
- The move cements the UK’s place as a global leader on
tackling food waste
The UK is set to join the UN Food System Summit (UNFSS) Coalition
on Food is Never Waste in a demonstration of our commitment to
drive action on the environment and tackle food insecurity on the
global stage, Environment Minister set out today.
The announcement comes in Food Waste Action Week – the national
campaign to cut food waste. An estimated 9.5 million tonnes
of food are wasted every year in the UK, with one-third of all
food produced globally going to waste.
By joining the international UNFSS coalition, which is committed
to halving global food waste by 2030, the UK will team up other
world leaders, such as the USA, Italy and Australia, in tackling
food waste at home and abroad. It will offer us the opportunity
to share UK expertise and support other countries in their
journey to reducing food waste and loss.
Food Waste Minister said:
“The UK, where food waste has fallen 21% per person since 2007,
is rightly recognised as a global leader in tackling both
domestic and international food waste. Joining the UNFSS
Coalition will enable us to work further with other countries to
solve this enormous issue.”
Minister for Development and Africa, said:
“The UK has a strong track record when it comes to tackling food
waste both at home and abroad, from better protecting crops from
disease, to reducing what household’s throw away.
“By joining the UN’s Food Is Never Waste Coalition, we will use
our expertise to drive global action, helping alleviate food
insecurity and protecting our planet.”
Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director of Food Loss and
Waste at the World Resources Institute,
said:
“The UK has been a clear leader in tackling food loss and waste
for many years, so I am delighted that it is joining the Food is
Never Waste Coalition where it will be a clear role model for
others and will help promote focus on this important issue.
“We are now just seven years away from 2030 and it is imperative
that we all scale up our efforts to reduce food loss and waste,
which is essential if we are to meet climate agreement targets
and create a sustainable, resilient food system.”
The UK Government has taken concrete action on this issue over
the last decade, including significant annual funding to vital
organisations such as WRAP, leading to a significant drop in UK
food waste over the last 15 years. The commitment on food waste
is part of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023
commitment to build a truly circular and sustainable
economy.
Defra is currently working alongside WRAP on Food Waste Action
Week, a celebrity-led annual series of events highlighting the
problem of food waste and ways people can reduce the food they
waste at home.
To find out more about how you can reduce your food waste, visit
the WRAP website here: https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink
ENDS
Notes to editors
- UK households throw away approximately 4.5 million tonnes of
edible food every year.
- 70% of the food that is wasted in the UK is wasted by
citizens in their own homes. Food waste costs around £60 per
month for the average family with children.
- Food Waste Action Week runs between 6 and 12 March 2023. It
is an annual week-long campaign which aims to encourage and help
individuals reduce food waste at home and out-of-home
environments (e.g. restaurants).
Everyday UK homes throw away approximately
- 20 million slices of bread (equivalent to one million loaves
at 20 slices per loaf)
- 4.4 million whole potatoes
- 3.1 million glasses of milk
- 2.7 million whole carrots
- 2.2 million slices of ham
- 1.2 million whole tomatoes
- 920,000 whole bananas
- 720,000 whole oranges
- 800,000 whole apples
- 970,000 whole onions
- 86,000 whole lettuces
Top 10 most wasted food and drink items that could have
been eaten:
- Potato (fresh)
- Bread
- Milk
- Meals (home-made and pre-prepared)
- Fizzy drinks
- Fruit juice and smoothies
- Pork / ham / bacon
- Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck)
- Carrots (fresh)
- Potato (processed)
