Waitrose has announced today (1 March) a number of initiatives it is set to roll out this week in support of the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s (WRAP) Food Waste Action Week.
With the retailer recently committing to cutting food waste across its supply chain by 50 per cent by 2030, Waitrose has outlined a number of initiatives to pave the way towards this target.
The initiatives focus on joining forces with suppliers and charities to divert food from waste. One such partnership is with FareShare, which works to redirect food to families in need.
Waitrose has stated that this partnership has saved five million surplus apples, carrots, mushrooms and baby sprouts, which has created over one million meals.
Waitrose also works with FareShare to link its shops with local organisations that collect surplus food for people in need. Leftover food can be scanned and uploaded to the FareShare app, and can then be collected by local charities.
Another initiative has seen Waitrose commission fruit supplier Worldwide Fruit to undertake a waste analysis on apples. This has resulted in three tonnes of apples diverted from waste.
The retailer has also published a number of dedicated food waste pages on its website, comprising tips for reducing food waste, zero-waste recipes and podcasts.
In-store, Waitrose is continuing to sell its ‘A Little Less than Perfect’ and ‘Forgotten Cuts’ ranges for fruit and vegetables and meat, in a bid to reduce food waste across the supply chain.
Marija Rompani, Partner and Director, Sustainability and Ethics at John Lewis Partnership, said: “Food waste is one of the most significant environmental challenges we face. To lessen the impact, we need to connect all of the dots across our business.
"Whether it's providing tips on how shoppers can reduce food waste at home or diverting surplus food from our supermarket shelves and farms. We will work with the industry to encourage everyone to play their part in tackling food waste.”
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