Government reconsiders mandatory food waste reporting
14th February 2024
Government is set to reconsider its decision to abandon plans for mandatory food waste reporting (as reported in our last newsletter), following pressure from campaign groups, the food industry, and The Grocer. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) claimed that the cost of imposing mandatory reporting on businesses, which had first been announced in 2018, could drive up food prices. However, the campaign group Feedback filed for a judicial review of the government’s decision in October 2023.
The initial decision to scrap the mandatory reporting requirement was made despite 99 per cent. of respondents to the consultation being in favour of it. The consultation’s legality was questioned due to allegations that DEFRA’s decision lacked a reasonable and rational foundation following the evidence it received. Feedback argued that the decision was also rooted in an insufficient impact assessment, disregarded advice from DEFRA’s own experts (the Climate Change Committee) and overlooked the potential emissions reductions resulting from obligatory food waste reporting.
Food waste is a significant issue in the UK, with approximately 10.4 to 13 million tonnes of food going to waste each year, accounting for about 26-33 per cent of the country’s annual 40 million tonnes of food imports. Research indicates that cutting UK food waste in half would lead to substantial savings of cropland and could significantly contribute to reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Government, after dismissing mandatory reporting in June 2023, considered extending voluntary reporting managed by WRAP until at least 2025. However, the consultation responses underscored the significance of mandatory reporting, as voluntary measures have proven ineffective.
The campaign group Feedback also contended that DEFRA overlooked crucial evidence regarding potential cost savings resulting from mandatory reporting. DEFRA’s impact assessments revealed that food waste is currently costing the UK £19 billion per year, and any expenses associated with measuring and reporting food waste would be counterbalanced by reductions in food waste amounting to just 0.25 per cent.
Environment secretary Steve Barclay announced the reconsideration of the decision just days after taking over from Thérèse Coffey. DEFRA said, “The secretary of state for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs will reconsider whether there should be mandatory food waste reporting in the future.”
The Food and Drink Federation has also expressed support for mandatory reporting, emphasising the need for alignment with existing reporting requirements under the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap.
