On Monday 1 October 2018, the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, announced that the government will set up a pilot scheme to reduce food waste.
The scheme will be supported by £15 million of additional funding which has been allocated to tackle food waste.
Currently around 43,000 tonnes of surplus food is redistributed from retailers and food manufacturers every year. It is estimated that a further 100,000 tonnes of food – equating to 250 million meals a year – is edible and readily available but goes uneaten.
The new scheme will specifically address surplus food from retail and manufacturing. It will launch in 2019/20.
Defra is commissioning work to improve the evidence base around food waste, including understanding why more surplus food is not being redistributed. This work will inform the design of the scheme, ensuring it drives down food waste in the most effective possible way.