In recent months, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons have introduced wonky veg lines that incentivise customers to buy “imperfect” vegetables.
It’s a move designed to tackle the 12m tonnes of food waste created every year by UK households, hospitality and food service, food manufacture and the retail and wholesale sectors. And comes after high profile activists, including Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, have drawn increasing attention to the issue. With a value of more than £19bn a year, Wrap estimates that 75% of this food waste could be avoided (pdf).
In an effort to reduce food waste and ease food poverty at the same time, France has banned supermarkets from throwing away or destroying unsold food, making them donate it to charities and food banks. Campaigners hope other countries will follow suit.
Beyond supermarkets, other businesses are finding ways to help tackle waste. London’s Hackney Brewery recently launched Toast Ale, a beer made using surplus bread from bakeries and supermarkets. While Rubies in the Rubble works with growers and distributors to make chutney and jam from their surplus fruit and vegetables.
Join the discussion
Join a panel of experts on Wednesday 30 March 1-2pm BST in the comments section on this page to discuss how businesses can help prevent food waste, and create business opportunities that get value from food waste.
Panel
Stephen Boyle, business sector manager, Love Food Hate Waste
Dean Pearce, regional commercial manager, ReFood
Jenny Dawson, founder of Rubies in the Rubble
Martin Bowman, campaign and media coordinator, Stop the Rot
Julie Prebble, business development manager for Toast Ale Ltd
Andrew Mullins, Origin Green co-ordinator, Bord Bia
Leave a question now
You can submit questions for the panel in advance using the form below or tweeting them to @GuardianSustBiz using #askGSB.
