One year on from the launch of WRAP and IGD’s Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, and 156 UK food businesses have now committed to ‘Target, Measure and Act’ on food waste with the aim of halving it by 2030.
This represents more than half of UK food industry turnover, and more than double the number of food businesses committed to the Roadmap at launch (71). These businesses are joined by a further 29 other organisations including major trade bodies, and redistribution organisations. That number has risen from 19 at launch.
121 of these food businesses have provided evidence to WRAP that they are already implementing the Target, Measure, Act strategy in an effort to reduce food waste. These include all of the UK’s largest grocery retailers, and over 100 other large food businesses.
Together these 121 businesses have a combined turnover of over almost £220bn, representing 50% of the overall turnover for UK food manufacture, retail and hospitality and food service. They also generate around 1.1 million tonnes of food waste in their own operations, a third of the total UK post-farm gate supply chain food waste.
Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP, said: “I am delighted at the huge progress in this first year of the UK Food Waste Reduction Roadmap. Businesses that are implementing Target, Measure, Act are already reaping the benefits, and those publicly reporting comparable data show an average 7% reduction, and a combined saving of around 53,000 tonnes of food valued at over £85m. Working together with Courtauld 2025, the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap is putting the UK on a path to achieving Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3.
“But there is much more to do, and our ambition is to have all major food businesses implementing Target, Measure Act by the end of 2026.”
Susan Barratt, CEO of IGD, added: “One year ago we launched the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, which focused on helping food and consumer goods companies to reduce their food waste. I am delighted that more than 150 companies have now committed to support the roadmap, with 121 of these businesses already implementing Target, Measure, Act.
“IGD and WRAP continue to work very closely with these companies, giving them the tools to understand how they can measure and reduce food waste. Our industry has made great strides on this important issue in the last 12 months, but we are not complacent. Reducing food waste is a long-term journey and we recognise there is more we can, and will, be doing in the future.”
