The study, titled The Waste Equation, was developed by Newton in partnership with The Felix Project and Fareshare.
Over the past decade, food redistribution has grown rapidly, with major organisations now rescuing tens of thousands of tonnes of surplus each year and delivering hundreds of millions of meals.
But momentum is slowing, and the sector has warned that without stronger incentives, much of the edible surplus in the UK will remain out of reach.
Food waste reduction key to redistribution gains
According to the research, UK retailers sell around 18.5 million tonnes of UK-manufactured food and drink each year. However, approximately 550,000 tonnes are wasted during manufacturing, amounting to around 3% of production.
Of this waste, around 23% could be entirely prevented, and a further 16% could be redistributed through charities, equivalent to 212 million meals.
Reinvesting the money saved by preventing waste during production – around £236 million – a further 657 million meals could be generated.
Combined with the 148 million meals already redistributed by The Felix Project and Fareshare, the total potential rises to more than one billion meals a year.
Charlotte Hill, CEO at The Felix Project and FareShare, commented: “If we can access more of this potential food, we can make sure more of it is able to have this transformative impact, rather than going to waste.
“That’s why we’re calling on the UK Government to step up, making it easier and more cost-effective for businesses to donate surplus food, instead of it going to lower-value users.”
Reduce, recover, reinvest
The report sets out a “reduce, recovery, reinvest” framework for manufacturers, aligned with recommendations from WRAP and The Coronation Food Project.
This approach focuses on:
- Reducing avoidable waste through operational improvements and technology
- Recovering surplus food that would otherwise go to waste
- Reinvesting financial savings to increase food production for redistribution
Alongside this, a Manufacturing Waste Map identifies six critical points in production where food loss occurs: preparation, operations, quality control, giveaways, changeovers and planning.
Tim Murray, Partner at Newton, added: “No single organisation can solve the waste problem on its own.
“By collaborating across the wider supply chain – sharing expertise, logistics, storage, and production capacity – we can unlock far more surplus food for those who need it.
“Even delivering a small portion of what’s outlined in this report would mean millions more people are gaining access to affordable, nutritious food – while at the same time, also improving business efficiency across the industry.”
