The Welsh Government has launched its Food Manufacture, Service and Retail (FMSR) Sector Plan, which outlines what actions the Welsh Government is taking to reduce food and packaging waste and boost supply chain efficiencies.
Unveiled yesterday (30 September) by Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant, the sector plan advocates a ‘whole food supply chain approach’ and encourages food and drink manufacturers as well as processors, wholesalers, and retailers and service providers in Wales to assess their: levels of waste prevention; preparation for reuse/recycling; and treatment and disposal of waste, to see if any efficiencies can be made.
The plan, compiled using data from a consultation held three years ago, outlines the waste arisings for the food manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and service sectors between 2007 and 2012 and highlights actions the Welsh Government has been taking to improve efficiencies in relation to food waste and packaging.
These include:
- supporting voluntary agreements to reduce retail, service sector and supply chain waste, such as WRAP’s Hospitality and Food Service Agreement and the Courtauld Commitment (discussions have reportedly begun on a post-2015 follow-on agreement to Courtauld 3);
- consulting on the Environment Bill, which proposes banning food waste to landfill and incineration, and disposing of food waste through sewers; and
- proposing that the food manufacturing sector reduce the amount of waste produced by 1.4 per cent (of the 2007 baseline) a year to 2050, and the wholesale, retail, and service sectors reduce waste arisings by 1.2 per cent (as outlined in the Industrial and Commercial Sector Plan).
There are no specific targets set in the FMSR Sector Plan.
Speaking of the plan, Sargeant said: "This sector plan is broad, covering food and associated packaging waste and looking at the entire food supply chain after it has left the farm, from manufacturer to consumer. It focuses on the role that food manufacturers, wholesale suppliers, retailers and the service sector can play in reducing and recycling waste – and save money at the same time.
"It’s vital that Welsh businesses can be competitive and resilient in world markets. Ensuring a secure supply of materials, and making the most efficient use of materials, is key to this, as well as the potential to make savings and become more efficient."
The FMSR Sector Plan is one of the seven waste sector plans under development as mechanisms for delivering the Welsh Government’s overarching waste strategy ‘Towards Zero Waste’.
Read the full Food Manufacture, Service and Retail (FMSR) Sector Plan.
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