During September, the UK’s busiest bars, pubs, restaurants, hotels, quick service outlets, cafes and catering companies will make sure they target, measure and act on food waste.
Food waste is off the menu this September, as the UK’s hospitality and food service sector unites to tackle the one million tonnes of food waste arising from commercial kitchens, restaurants, pubs and wherever food is served to order; worth nearly £3 billion per annum.
The dedicated month of action, Stand Up For Food, is spearheaded by the resource efficiency agency WRAP as part of its Guardians of Grub campaign.
This brilliant month of action, led by WRAP, empowers every food business, ensuring that food waste is taken off the menu
It is supported by the Government’s Food Surplus & Waste Champion Ben Elliot, well-known chefs including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Skye Gyngell, Adam Handling, Ken Hom, Melissa Hemsley, Anna Jones and Thomasina Miers and major businesses and trade bodies.
From street food to Michelin star, the Guardians of Grub’s influence stretches the length and breadth of Britain encompassing every division of the businesses involved.
From kitchen staff to management, all will ensure food waste prevention is front of mind and that they measure and minimise food wastage in their own operations.
Food Surplus and Waste Champion, Ben Elliot: “It’s truly time to Stand Up For Food – food need not be wasted. This brilliant month of action, led by WRAP, empowers every food business, ensuring that food waste is taken off the menu.
“To the gallant Guardians, I recommend the brilliant resources provided by WRAP, created to help tackle this very important issue.”
Reducing food waste
During Stand Up For Food month, kitchens and staff will use a range of free resources produced by WRAP that share best practice on reducing food waste.
These include guidance and resources to help measure and review food thrown away. The priority for September is food waste measuring, after which it will be easy for businesses to pinpoint where and why food waste occurs in their operations, and work out how to stop good food ending up in the bin.
At its heart, the campaign is about helping businesses make simple, low-cost changes to how food is procured, prepared and presented that reduce the amount needlessly thrown away.
This is the largest, most inclusive campaign we’ve ever undertaken with the hospitality and food service sector
Peter Maddox, Director WRAP said “Food waste usually goes unnoticed in relation to climate change, but the reality is that we won’t stop temperatures rising if we fail to address the problems within the food system.
“We see no place for food waste on any UK menu, and I’m confident Stand Up For Food will be a great success, and an important moment in the war on food waste.
“This is the largest, most inclusive campaign we’ve ever undertaken with the hospitality and food service sector and key has been recruiting the Guardians to make this happen in their own businesses, and arming those people with the right resources to help.
“And while we focus attention on one industry in September, it’s a moment too when we can all think about how we all contribute to food waste, and what we can do to limit that – it’s food for thought.”
Case studies outlining the savings made are being published on the Guardians of Grub website.
