Major grocery companies add names to Courtauld

The total number of companies signed up to the voluntary agreement which aims to reduce packaging and food and drink waste in the grocery sector, the Courtauld Commitment 2, has increased by 12 to 48 in the past six months, WRAP revealed yesterday (January 25).

WRAP, which is responsible for brokering the agreement, hailed the decision of some of the UK's “biggest” grocery companies to sign up to the second phase of the Commitment, which was launched in March 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Under the voluntary responsibility deal, signatories have commitment to reduce the carbon impact of grocery packaging by 10% of 2009 levels by December 2012, to reduce household food and drink waste by 4% by the same point and to reduce grocery product and packaging waste by 5%.

The 12 most recent names to add their names to the Commitment are: AB Inbev UK; Associated British Foods; Cafedirect; Coca Cola Enterprises; Concha Y Toro SA; Cott Beverages; Findus Group; Kimberley Clark UK; Kraft Foods UK; Miller Brands (UK); Premier Foods; and, Proctor & Gamble UK & Ireland.

Of these, the most recent firm to formally sign up to the agreement was Coca Cola, earlier this month, although a spokeswoman for WRAP noted that companies often began working towards the Commitment before they officially signed up to it.

Liz Goodwin, WRAP's chief executive, said: “One of the biggest challenges society faces over the next decade is reducing the environmental impact of the things we buy and build. These responsibility deals bring about changes which deliver both commercial and environment benefits.

“Building a sustainable business is not only about protecting the environment. With it comes a leaner, more efficient business which strips out waste and saves money. The voluntary approach allows industry sectors to move as one and deliver change without government intervention.

“Responsibility deals stimulate businesses to come up with their own ways to solve problems, giving them far greater flexibility and avoiding potentially onerous regulations,” she added.

The first, 2005-2010, phase of the Courtauld Commitment, achieved a halt in packaging waste in the grocery sector and exceeded its ambition for food waste production (see letsrecycle.com story).

Construction waste

WRAP also revealed yesterday that two more companies had committed to its construction sector voluntary responsibility deal, Halving Waste To Landfill. Barratt Developments and Hanson UK take the list of signatories to the deal to 540.

Under the agreement, they commit to playing their part in halving the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste going to landfill by 2012.