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The hon. Member questioned whether supermarkets delay distributing food for human consumption due to incentives to divert it to animal feed and suggested incentivising or making it compulsory for them to redirect wasted food towards human consumption instead. I am concerned about food waste and food poverty as people struggle to feed their families. The Scottish Pantry Network, which I chair, redistributes nutritious food while maintaining dignity for recipients. There is a need for legislative changes to incentivise businesses to donate surplus food for human consumption instead of using it for animal feed or landfill.
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Highlights the shocking scale of food waste in the UK, with 3.3 million tonnes wasted on farms annually and another 2.9 million tonnes that could still be eaten going to landfill. Emphasises the impact of food waste on land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and food insecurity, noting that 2.1 million people in the UK have used a food bank within the last year. Criticizes high food inflation for impacting poorer families disproportionately, leaving them with limited access to healthy food options. I am sure that the Minister heard the enthusiasm for mandatory reporting from a number of Members. What is causing the Government not to go forward, given that businesses want it to happen?
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Ms Brock intervened to raise criticism about the UK Government's delays in introducing mandatory food waste reporting, citing a managing director of Too Good To Go who stated that this refusal is a blow to UK food waste reduction efforts. She also mentioned European Commission proposals for legally binding targets on food waste.
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The hon. Member noted that larger supermarkets are taking steps to reduce food waste but highlighted the need for more action in reaching hard-to-reach communities and food banks where edible food could be put to better use.
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Jim Shannon highlighted the significant amount of food waste in the UK, noting that households account for 60% of it. He cited examples from his community where supermarkets donate unsold perishable goods to community groups that distribute them to those in need. Shannon emphasised the importance of using all available resources efficiently and lamented the change in attitudes towards food conservation compared to past generations. He also mentioned the environmental impact of wasted energy and carbon emissions associated with growing and transporting food.
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He highlighted the pressure on household budgets and the role of community groups in educating people about food waste reduction. He noted that 70% of food waste is generated at home and mentioned initiatives like FareShare and Too Good To Go, suggesting tax breaks for efficient retailers.
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He praised community groups like Foodsave and ReROOTed Community Café for their work in food redistribution. He also proposed using the voluntary carbon market to redistribute funds from the emissions trading scheme to support such initiatives.
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Ms Dyke expressed concern about food security, food poverty, and the environmental impact of food waste. She highlighted that the poorest 20% would need to spend half their disposable income on a healthy diet recommended by the NHS. Ms Dyke also pointed out the need for mandatory reporting of food waste from big businesses and the importance of understanding pre-farm gate food waste.
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Ms Saxby highlighted the issue of food waste in UK households, noting that around a quarter of food waste is due to over-preparation. She praised FareShare for delivering 33,500 meals in her constituency and more than 132 million meals nationally but noted budget constraints have led to the organisation turning down surplus food worth up to 2 million meals last year.
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She highlighted the shocking statistic that more than a third of all food in the UK is wasted, contributing up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. She praised the Company Shop Group's success in saving nearly £7.5 million on shopping bills for her constituents while preventing over 2,649 tonnes of food waste. She also emphasised the importance of mandatory food waste reporting by large businesses as a means to reduce waste and support redistribution schemes.
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Welcomed the debate on food waste and highlighted Scotland's efforts to reduce it. Noted that Scotland wastes a staggering 1 million tonnes of food annually, with household waste accounting for around 60%. Emphasised the avoidable nature of much of this waste and its environmental impact. Criticised the UK Government's failure to act decisively on the issue.
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The hon. Member thanked volunteers working with Tesco and local supermarkets to pick up surplus food, ensuring it is redistributed across Ynys Môn to those in need through community champions at the Anglesey food bank.
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The hon. Member suggested that food waste at the farm gate is influenced by consumer choices and supermarket standards, advocating for more innovative solutions such as Growers Garden in Cupar which turns 20% of wonky vegetables into healthier crisps.
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The contribution that food waste makes to carbon emissions is well documented, with over 10 million tonnes of food wasted annually in the UK, producing 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. More than half of this waste happens at home and much of it is edible. Households must be incentivised to reduce their own food waste through behaviour change. There are measures such as refrigerating fresh food below 5°C and purchasing loose fruit and vegetables. WRAP suggests not putting best before dates on uncut fresh produce unless proven necessary. Scotland will ban the landfilling of organic waste by 2025, but a similar ban in England will come into effect only in 2028. The UK could grow up to 40% of its own fruit and vegetables using urban green spaces, reducing food miles and emissions. Twenty years ago, I was a councillor with responsibility for waste, and we had the same issue then. What has happened in the meantime? In 20 years of being aware of household food waste, what has happened?