Morrisons is building on its work with food redistribution charity The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT) to provide more families in need with food and also reduce waste from its production operations.
The group highlighted that food factories are the second-highest source of food waste after households. This typically happens because of overproduction, imperfections, mislabelling or because the food runs out of shelf life.
During 2021, Morrisons plans to redistribute surplus food to 30,000 families in need through TBBT. The retailer has worked with the charity since 2016 and has so far provided 2m meals to its members.
The food – amounting to another 800 tonnes a year – will come from a range of Morrisons food-making sites, distribution centres, and UK suppliers. The range of products donated includes fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, prepared food and bread.
Steven Butts, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Morrisons, said: “Reducing food waste is important to our customers, colleagues and shareholders. We’ve made very strong progress in reducing waste in our supermarkets over many years. But there is still more to do behind the scenes and this extension of our partnership with TBBT will mean that they can do even more for families around the UK while at the same time helping us further reduce wasted food.”
Morrisons has pledged to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030. To date, the supermarket has launched a Wonky fruit and veg range, donated surplus food from every store, and offers boxes of veg, bakery and deli items via the Too Good to Go App.
Morrisons has 18 of its own food making sites and is the largest fresh food manufacturer in the UK.
NAM Implications:
- Key to focus on food waste reduction (shop & production unit) via redistribution.
- A pointer for all food retail (and supply)…
- …given the aftermath of lockdown yet to come down the pipeline.
