The retailer has announced partnership agreements with 24 of its largest food suppliers who will adopt the Sustainable Development Goal to halve food waste by 2030.
According to Tesco, the suppliers – who represent over £17bn worth of Tesco sales – will publish food waste data for their own operations within 12 months.
They have also committed to take the steps needed to reduce food waste in their supply chain as well as innovating to make it easier for consumers to reduce waste in their homes.
Champions 12.3
The announcement came from Tesco’s CEO, Dave Lewis, during a meeting of Champions 12.3 in New York yesterday (20 September). Champions 12.3 is a coalition of leaders from government, businesses, international organisations, research institutions, and civil society, chaired by Mr Lewis.
The group is dedicated to accelerating progress towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Target 12.3 by 2030
Tesco has also confirmed its businesses in the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary have published their food waste data, following four years of publication in the UK.
The retailer said the move builds on its commitment to ‘transparency’ on food waste data to use that information to help reduce food waste in its operations.
Progress
“I am delighted that many of our major suppliers have taken this important step so we can work in partnership to reduce food waste”
Dave Lewis
Tesco
In his speech, Mr Lewis said: “Great progress has been made, but the reality is that we need many more companies, countries or cities committing to halve food waste by 2030, measuring and publishing their data and acting on that insight to tackle food waste.
“I am delighted that many of our major suppliers have taken this important step so we can work in partnership to reduce food waste”
Food waste campaigner Tristram Stuart welcomed the news, outlining Tesco as ‘the world-leading supermarket’ on reporting food waste.
He said: “It’s time for other businesses to follow suit, and for Tesco, along with the rest of the world’s supermarkets, to demonstrate, if they can, that their businesses are not inherently wasteful.”
Suppliers
The suppliers involved in the agreement are: Yeo Valley; Gomez; Branston; Greencore; Icelandic Seachill; AMT; DPS; Kepak Meat Division; G’s; Allied Bakeries; Moy Park; Richard Hochfeld; Ornua; Cranswick; Samworths; 2SFG; Hilton; Espersen; Greenyard Frozen; Müller Milk & Ingredients; Kerry Foods; Bakkavor; Froneri; Noble.
It follows agreements over the last 12 months at The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) and Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) with branded suppliers to align efforts around Champions 12.3 goals.
WRAP
Also yesterday, the Waste and Resources Action Plan (WRAP) announced it had co-authored with the World Resources Institute the SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2017 Progress Report.
WRAP said the report shows “that while momentum is growing and progress in 2017 is promising, to succeed in 13 short years we have to significantly ramp up our efforts.”
To help achieve the SDG Target 12.3, the report includes a roadmap showing a possible pathway to success.
This is the second in an annual series of publications providing an assessment of the world’s progress toward achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3, and prepared by WRI and WRAP on behalf of Champions 12.3.
Related links
SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2017 Progress Report
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