Resources
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.
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Courtauld Commitment
- Food Waste Reduction Roadmap
- Food date labelling
- Fresh produce sector
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
Plastics play an important role in our daily lives and can often play a critical role, for instance, in protecting food and preventing food waste. But we must take urgent action where the use of plastic is problematic or unnecessary, to stop the issues plastic presents to our environment.
UK Plastics Pact members account for two thirds of all consumer plastic packaging used in the UK and they are strengthening their ambition in the fight against plastic waste. Building on the eight problem plastics identified for elimination in 2019, six new plastic items and materials have been set for elimination.
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
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.
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Reuse and refill
- Film and flexible packaging
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Courtauld Commitment
- Food date labelling
- Fresh produce sector
- Household food waste
- Retailers and brands
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
This report details information gathered about single use cups and on the go fibre-composite food packaging.
The aim of this project was to gather data on the flows of single-use cups and on-the-go fibre-composite food packaging placed on market and recycled in the UK (and by nation). It also aimed to identify options for managing these items to help reduce environmental impact , and this included an assessment of potential policy measures.
- Collections & recycling
- Manufacturers
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- National government and departments
Our third Annual Report provides the most complete picture of action on tackling plastic packaging waste in the UK. It combines aggregated Pact member data from right across the supply chain, with examples of members progress against the targets. This enables us pinpoint where specific action is needed.
So, three years in, what does the picture look like?
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Reuse and refill
- Film and flexible packaging
- Waste management and end markets
- Collections & recycling
- Collections and sorting
- Kerbside collection
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
Following COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021, WRAP published the report Delivering climate ambition through a more circular economy which identifies the potential for a more circular economy to create net increases in employment in the UK and the EU, whilst also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and demand for raw materials.
- Waste management and end markets
- Waste management and reprocessors
- National government and departments
The 2021 Plastics Market situation report provides in-depth information on the latest economic, market and regulatory trends affecting the capture and recycling of plastics. It explores key developments over the past few years and highlights the challenges and opportunities for the decade ahead.
- Plastic Packaging
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Waste management and end markets
- Collections & recycling
- Material Recovery Facilities
- Recovered materials markets
- Market situation reports
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
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.
- Food and drink
- Courtauld Commitment
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Farmers and growers
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
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.
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Reuse and refill
- Film and flexible packaging
- Waste management and end markets
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Measuring and reporting food waste
- Surplus food redistribution
- Water stewardship
- Courtauld Commitment
- Food Waste Reduction Roadmap
- Guardians of Grub
- Guardians of Grub Becoming a Champion
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Food date labelling
- Meat, poultry and fish
- Fresh produce sector
- Dairy sector
- Bakery sector
- Ambient foods sector
- Convenience, chilled foods and frozen
- Funding
- Whole chain resource efficiency
- Household food waste
- Behaviour change interventions
- TRIFOCAL
- Refresh
- UN SDG 12.3
- Textiles
- Fibre & fabric selection
- Consumer behaviour
- Re-use & recycling
- Non-clothing textiles
- Design for extending clothing life
- SCAP 2020
- Textiles 2030
- ECAP
- Collections & recycling
- Consistency in collections
- Service design
- Communicating with residents
- Contamination prevention
- Collections and sorting
- Kerbside collection
- Recycling in urban areas
- HWRCs & bring sites
- Commercial waste
- Material Recovery Facilities
- Re-use
- Dry materials
- Organics
- Recovered materials markets
- Market situation reports
- Market snapshots
- Gate fees
- UN SDG 12.5
- Electricals
- Product durability
- Minimising product returns
- Consumer behaviour
- Re-use and recycling
- Circular Economy Fund
- Public Sector Procurement Support
- Farmers and growers
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Textiles sourcers, producers and designers
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
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.
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Measuring and reporting food waste
- Surplus food redistribution
- Courtauld Commitment
- Food Waste Reduction Roadmap
- Guardians of Grub
- Guardians of Grub Becoming a Champion
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Food date labelling
- Meat, poultry and fish
- Whole chain resource efficiency
- UN SDG 12.3
- UN SDG 12.5
- Consumer behaviour
- Farmers and growers
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
This document is a constructive road map with clear objectives and actions for local authorities, organic processors, policy makers and regulators that puts in place actions that will reduce contamination of feedstocks for organic processors, increase recycling rates, increase feedstock supply and protect the environment.
- Collections & recycling
- Collections and sorting
- Organics
- Farmers and growers
- Manufacturers
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- National government and departments
Governments across the UK have identified that if we are going to reduce our environmental impacts, we need to address the amount of resources we use.
- Consumer behaviour
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments