Pressure is mounting on the UK Government to introduce legislation to ban supermarkets from sending unsold food to landfill.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, France introduced a law that bans supermarkets from throwing away waste food \u2013 instead forcing them to donate it to charities and food banks or face a fine of \u20ac3,750.<\/p>\n
French Supermarkets must now donate unwanted food to food banks or face a fine of up to \u20ac3750.<\/p>\n
Now, charities are calling on similar legislation to be passed in the UK.<\/p>\n
Pressure is mounting on the UK Government to introduce legislation to ban supermarkets from sending unsold food to landfill.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, France introduced a law that bans supermarkets from throwing away waste food \u2013 instead forcing them to donate it to charities and food banks or face a fine of \u20ac3,750.<\/p>\n
French Supermarkets must now donate unwanted food to food banks or face a fine of up to \u20ac3750.<\/p>\n
Now, charities are calling on similar legislation to be passed in the UK.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole food waste debate was dragged into the tax arena and it was removed from the manifesto,\u201d Simpson said.<\/p>\n
The manifesto was altered after the Conservatives released a dossier claiming that the food waste ban would cost \u00a3477 million.<\/p>\n
Labour said that the ban idea was based on \u201can out of date quote\u201d issued by a former shadow environment secretary, Mary Creagh, in 2013.<\/p>\n
Labour said in a statement at the time: \u201cThis is not Labour\u2019s policy \u2013 it was not agreed at Labour\u2019s National Policy Forum in 2014.”<\/p>\n
The Independent has asked the Labour Party if it would consider supporting calls to introduce legislation similar to the French model.<\/p>\n
The UK is far worse than the rest of the EU when it comes to food waste. A 2014 inquiry found that 89 million tonnes of food are wasted across the EU annually. The UK is the worst culprit, dumping 14 million tonnes a year, or twice the EU average.<\/p>\n
Half of this comes from UK households.<\/p>\n
Supermarkets have faced scrutiny of their food waste practices. Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall\u2019s War On Waste has inspired several campaigns for people to eat more wonky vegetables. Asda has become the first UK supermarket to sell wonky vegetable boxes for \u00a33.50 in 128 of its stores.<\/p>\n
But the latest data available, visualised by Statista, show that food waste is costing the UK \u00a32.94 billion.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also polluting the environment. The decomposition of solid waste in landfills results in the release of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n
Scotland passed regulations on waste in 2012 requiring all businesses producing over 50kg of food waste per week to get it recycled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had meetings with Defra. They say that in England and Wales voluntary objectives will do the job. In England it\u2019s disappointing. Far and away the biggest part of the UK is doing nothing,\u201d Simpson said.<\/p>\n
The UK Government has a voluntary agreement with retailers and food manufacturers called the Courtauld Agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeading UK retailers and manufacturers \u2013 representing over 90 per cent of the grocery market by sales \u2013 have signed up to our voluntary Courtauld Commitment, which has contributed to a 15 per cent reduction in total household food waste since 2007,\u201d a Defra spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: Independent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pressure is mounting on the UK Government to introduce legislation to ban supermarkets from sending unsold food to landfill. On Wednesday, France introduced a law that bans supermarkets from throwing away waste food \u2013 instead forcing them to donate it to charities and food banks or face a fine of \u20ac3,750. French Supermarkets must now […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[107],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n