Resources

Ground-breaking research into the relationship between plastic packaging and five fruit and vegetable items frequently wasted at home, as well as the impact of date labels and storage temperatures, reveals significant opportunities to reduce both food waste and plastic packaging.

The research looked at: 

• If packaging extends the shelf life of fruit and vegetables;
• If selling items loose enables households to buy an appropriate amount for their needs; and
• How people make decisions about when to throw away fruit and vegetables, and what role does a ‘Best Before’ date have on these decisions.

Learn about the attitudes and behaviours around plastics, packaging, instore refill and bring-back recycling. The research has been co-funded by UK Research and Innovation.

Total UK food & drink consumption footprint and pathway to a 50% reduction by 2030. 

New research shows:

• How food system greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have changed from 2015 to 2019.
• Where GHG emissions ‘hotspots’ remain in the UK food system (including in supply chains overseas).
• Priority areas for action in the short term to help achieve the targeted reduction by 2030.

Highlighting progress made in the third year of the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap:

• 251,000 tonnes of food worth £365 million saved from waste.
• 670,000 tonnes of GHG emissions potentially avoided.
• 145 million meals redistributed.
• Major opportunities for greater impact remain – industry action focused on Hospitality and Food Service sector and whole chain collaboration.

WRAP works with governments, businesses and citizens to create a world in which resources are used sustainably. Read our April 2020-21 annual review to learn more about our mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.

In June 2020, 40 key stakeholders from across the UK meat production and supply chain came together, facilitated by WRAP's Courtauld Commitment, to pledge to make the UK meat industry one of the most efficient and sustainable in the world. This summary highlights the areas of significant progress made and the areas that require greater focus.

Enabling effective decisions for tackling food surplus and waste on farm.

At an industry level, food surplus and waste on-farms across the UK is estimated at 3.6 million tonnes and worth £1.2 billion. This project has extended that assessment to provide an estimate of the financial implications for individuals farms of acting on food surplus and waste.

Exploring how farmers can be supported to collaborate in measuring food surplus and waste and identifying production efficiencies.

Please note that for the most recent data on the financial cost and GHG emissions of household food waste in the UK  please refer to Household Food and Drink Waste in the United Kingdom 2021-22.

Returning to normality after Covid-19: Food waste attitudes and behaviours in 2021.

Shaping a sustainable recovery.

The Courtauld Commitment Annual Report sets out the progress that has been made by the food and drink sector this year towards achieving the voluntary agreement’s targets and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In yet another turbulent year for food and drink, the sector has continued  to deliver meaningful action on climate change, driving collaboration across the entire food system to measure and reduce food waste, greenhouse gas emissions and water stress.

Redistributing surplus food is one of the best ways that businesses can help to reduce the amount of food that ends up as waste. WRAP has previously reported on progress on increasing surplus food redistribution between 2015 and 2018, and this report provides additional data for 2019 and 2020.