Spearheaded by WRAP on behalf of the UK government and devolved administrations, the voluntary agreement brings together 98 organisations from across the food system to “make food and drink production more sustainable for the future”.
Signatories to the 10-year Commitment include global manufactures as well as major UK retailers such as ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, representing more than 93% of the grocery market.
24 bodies from the local authority sector – including the London Waste and Recycling Board – have also come on board, with the aim of improving public communications.
As well as a 20% food and drink waste reduction target, the Commitment also sets out a 20% target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food and drink production and retail, alongside a reduction in impact associated with water use in the supply chain.
WRAP said the agreement – Courtauld phase 4 – would see the resource intensity of the UK’s food and drink fall by one-fifth, bringing an estimated £20 billion savings to the UK economy.
Phase 3
Results from the previous phase (3) of the Commitment were unveiled in January 2015, estimating that there had been a slight increase in waste from manufacturing and retail, with 53 signed up to the agreement (see letsrecycle.com story). The Courtauld Commitment was originally launched in 2005.
“Under the last framework we have already reduced food waste in the supply chain by 10%. And this team-work and leadership should allow us to go much further.”
Rory Stewart
Resources minister, Defra
WRAP will report on the progress of the 2025 Commitment to reflect the combined impact across the entire food system and estimates that it could bring £4 billion in business savings while helping the UK deliver its part in the COP21 climate objectives.
It will also put the UK on track to halve household food and retail waste, according to WRAP, delivering on UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
UK waste and recycling minister Rory Stewart – who has been a vocal supporter of voluntary rather than mandatory targets – welcomed the latest phase of the Courtauld Commitment, commenting that he was “delighted that this great group of food and drink companies has come together with WRAP to reduce our food waste”.
The Defra minister said: “Food waste – at any stage from the farm to the house – is something we should avoid.
“Under the last framework we have already reduced food waste in the supply chain by 10%. And this team-work and leadership should allow us to go much further.”
Signatories
Organisations and businesses signed up to the agreement include:
- Retailers: Aldi, ASDA, Central England Co-operative, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Musgraves, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Co-operative Food and Waitrose.
- Brands & manufacturers: Associated British Foods, ARLA, Coca Cola Enterprises, Heineken, Nestlé UK and Ireland, Premier Foods, Unilever, and Warburtons.
- Hospitality and food service: apetito, Bidvest, Compass, KFC, OCS, Pizza Hut.
- Local authorities: 24 authorities including the London Waste and Recycling Board representing more than 42% of the UK’s population.
- Trade and sector organisations and Academia: British Hospitality Association, British Retail Consortium, Chilled Food Association, Dairy UK, Food & Drink Federation, Food Standards Agency, Institute of Hospitality, Sustainable Restaurant Association and WWF.
WRAP
According to WRAP, the Commitment for the first time brings all parties together under one agreement to achieve collective goals, with signatories committing to “implementing changes, measuring the benefits, and helping other businesses and people to realise savings”.
Dr Richard Swannell, director of sustainable food systems at WRAP, said: “The pressures of resource scarcity, population growth and our changing climate will have profound effects on our food supply in the coming years, and business efficiency. To safeguard UK food we need a step-change to increase sustainable food and drink production and consumption, conserve resources and combat climate change. Courtauld 2025 will do this.
“Collaboration has never been more important, which is why I want to thank the businesses and organisations that have committed to taking action. This is an ambitious undertaking and having key signatories on board on day one puts us in a strong position at the start of this new era for our food industry. I look forward to welcoming other leading organisations as signatories over the coming weeks, months and years and delivering this ambitious agreement.”
The “ambitious” Commitment was also welcomed by Welsh Government minister for natural resource Carl Sergeant and the Scottish Government’s resources minister Richard Lochhead.
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