In today’s world, the issue of commercial food waste has become a pressing concern, both from an environmental and economic standpoint.
This is everything you need to know about food waste in business settings, including its impact, regulations, management strategies, and disposal methods.
Table of Contents
- What is Food Waste?
- Impact of Food Waste
- Food Waste Laws and Regulations
- How to Manage Food Waste in Your Business
- Food Waste Disposal Methods
- Food Waste Facts & Statistics
- Conclusion
What is Food Waste?
Food waste includes any food intentionally discarded or lost throughout the supply chain, from production and processing to distribution and consumption.
Business food waste occurs in various stages, including overproduction, spoilage, and customer leftovers.
According to the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the UK generates an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food waste annually, with businesses accounting for a significant portion of this total.
Where Does Business Food Waste Come From?
Business food waste can come all the way from production & harvesting, to processing & manufacturing, distribution & retail and consumption.
Production & Harvesting
Additionally, adverse weather conditions, pests, and diseases can result in significant losses during cultivation.
Processing & Manufacturing
During food processing and manufacturing, inefficiencies in production processes, such as trimming, peeling, and packaging, can lead to the generation of waste.
Additionally, products that do not meet quality or safety standards may be discarded or downgraded for alternative uses.
Distribution & Retail
Supermarkets and grocery stores often discard perishable items nearing their expiration dates to maintain freshness and uphold aesthetic standards.
Consumption
While households are significant contributors to food waste, businesses, including restaurants, hotels, bakeries, butchers, nurseries, and catering services, also play a crucial role.
Read more about our tips and tricks for bakeries to get to zero-waste!
Consumers commonly discard uneaten food, plate waste, and leftovers due to oversized portions or poor storage and preservation practices.
What Are The Types of Food Waste?
There are 7 types of food waste, including expiration, spoilage, plate waste, production waste, overstocking/overordering, cosmetic imperfections, and food loss.
Expiration Waste
This type of food waste occurs when products reach their expiration dates or “best before” dates and are discarded as unsuitable for consumption.
Expiration dates are often conservative estimates, leading to premature disposal of perfectly edible food items.
Spoilage
Spoilage waste occurs when food deteriorates in quality or becomes unfit for consumption due to air exposure, moisture, temperature fluctuations, or microbial contamination.
Some people may refer to this food as “gone off”.
Perishable items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meats are particularly susceptible to spoilage if not stored properly.
Plate Waste
Plate waste refers to the uneaten portions of food left on plates or trays after meals, commonly observed in restaurants, cafes, and catering services.
The term plate waste may also be called leftovers or table scraps.
Factors contributing to plate waste include oversized portions, limited consumer appetite, and food preferences or dislikes.
Production Waste
This type of waste includes peels, cores, skins, and other edible or inedible parts separated during food preparation.
Overstocking/ Overordering
Businesses often overstock or overorder food items to meet fluctuating demand or take advantage of bulk purchasing discounts.
However, excess inventory can lead to waste if products perish or expire before they can be sold or consumed.
Cosmetic Imperfections
Despite being perfectly safe and nutritious, aesthetically imperfect items are frequently discarded due to consumer preferences for visually appealing products.
Logistical Losses
Logistical losses happen during transportation, storage, and distribution when accidents and inefficiencies damage or cause food to be lost.
By identifying types of food waste, businesses can implement targeted interventions to minimize waste, optimize resource use, and promote sustainability.
Impact of Food Waste
The consequences of food waste extend beyond the realm of environmental sustainability, impacting social, economic, and ethical dimensions.
Environmental Impact
Food waste has significant environmental implications, primarily due to its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and depletion of natural resources.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
When food waste is sent to landfills, it undergoes anaerobic decomposition, releasing methane gas into the atmosphere.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide.
By contributing to methane emissions, food waste exacerbates climate change and its associated environmental impacts.
Resource Depletion
The production of food requires significant resources, including water, land, energy, and inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides.
When businesses waste food, they squander valuable resources.
For example, discarding food wastes the water used in irrigation and food processing, contributing to water scarcity and resource inefficiency.
Additionally, they lose arable land that could support food production, further stressing natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
Social Implications
The social consequences of food waste are profound, affecting vulnerable populations and perpetuating inequalities
Food Insecurity
Food waste exacerbates food insecurity by diverting resources away from those who need it most.
Surplus food that could alleviate hunger often goes to waste, emphasizing the paradox of food waste amid hunger.
Social Disparities
Inequities in food distribution and access further compound the social impacts of food waste.
Vulnerable populations, including low-income households, marginalised communities, and food-insecure individuals, bear the brunt of food waste’s consequences.
Economic Costs
Food waste imposes significant financial burdens on businesses and society as a whole, undermining profitability and economic sustainability
Wasted Resources
Businesses incur substantial financial losses due to wasted resources throughout the food supply chain.
This includes raw materials, energy, water, and labour invested in the production, processing, transportation, and storage of food.
Missed Revenue Opportunities
Overproduction, spoilage, and unsold inventory result in lost sales and forgone profits, further exacerbating financial losses and reducing overall profitability.
Disposal Expenses
Managing food waste incurs additional expenses related to its collection, transportation, and disposal.
Businesses must bear the cost of waste management services, landfill fees, and compliance with regulatory requirements governing food waste disposal.
Inefficient waste management practices can result in reputational damage and legal liabilities, further compounding the economic costs of food waste.
In summary, addressing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of food waste requires concerted efforts across all sectors of society.
Food Waste Laws and Regulations
In addition to the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 and the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012. There are several other relevant legislations and regulations in the UK aimed at addressing food waste management and promoting sustainability:
The Environmental Protection Act 1990
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides a framework for waste management in England and Wales, including provisions for controlling the disposal and treatment of waste, licensing of waste management facilities, and enforcement of waste regulations.
The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
The Waste Regulations 2011, devired from the The Environmental Protection Act 1990 establishes specific waste management requirements, including obligations for businesses to segregate, store, transport, and dispose of waste safely and responsibly.
UK regulations also promote waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and recovery practices to minimise the environmental impact of waste generation.
The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012
Similar to its counterpart in England and Wales, the Waste Regulations 2012 for Scotland establish legal requirements for waste management in Scotland, encompassing waste prevention, recycling, and disposal measures.
Businesses must comply with waste management principles and implement measures to minimize the environmental impact of their waste activities.
The Environment Act 2021
The Environment Act 2021 sets out defined regulations that mandate certain businesses, including food retailers, hospitality establishments, and food service providers, to separate food waste from other waste streams for collection and recycling purposes.
The aim is to divert organic waste from landfills and promote the sustainable management of food waste through composting, anaerobic digestion, or other environmentally friendly methods.
The Waste (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2019
This legislation makes technical amendments to existing waste regulations in preparation for the UK’s exit from the European Union.
It ensures continuity and clarity in waste management practices while aligning with domestic priorities and regulatory frameworks.
The Circular Economy Package
While not specific to food waste, the UK government has committed to implementing measures outlined in the Circular Economy Package to promote resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable consumption and production practices.
The package includes initiatives to incentivise waste prevention, improve recycling infrastructure, and support the transition to a circular economy model.
Compliance with legislation is crucial for businesses to avoid penalties, uphold environmental standards, and support efforts to reduce food waste and promote sustainability in the UK.
You should adopt proactive measures like waste audits, staff training, and collaboration with waste management providers for efficient for responsible food waste management.
How to Manage Food Waste in Your Business
Effective management of food waste is essential for businesses to minimise their environmental impact, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability.
Conduct a Waste Audit
Identify the areas of waste generation, such as food preparation, storage, and disposal, as well as potential causes and opportunities for improvement.
Analyse the data from waste audits to set measurable targets, track progress, and inform decision-making in implementing waste reduction initiatives.
Optimise Inventory Management
Implementing efficient inventory management practices, such as just-in-time (JIT) ordering and inventory tracking systems can help minimise overstocking and reduce food waste.
Use forecasting tools and demand planning techniques to anticipate customer demand, optimise stock levels, and prevent excess inventory accumulation.
Rotate perishable items based on first-in-first-out (FIFO) principles to minimise spoilage and ensure product freshness.
Educate Staff
Providing comprehensive training and education to employees on proper food handling techniques, portion control, and waste segregation practices is crucial.
You can train staff to identify signs of spoilage, adhere to food safety protocols and implement portioning guidelines to minimise plate waste and optimise portion sizes.
It is important for you to Foster a culture of waste reduction and sustainability among employees by raising awareness of the environmental and economic impacts of food waste.
Donate Surplus Food
Partner with local charities, food banks, and community organizations to donate surplus food that is safe for consumption but unsuitable for sale.
Coordinate with food rescue organizations for timely collection and distribution of surplus food to those in need. Always comply with food safety regulations when handling and donating food to ensure quality and prevent foodborne illnesses.
Implement Food Waste Reduction Technologies
Explore innovative technologies and solutions for managing food waste, such as composting, anaerobic digestion, or food waste-to-energy systems.
Composting organic waste can divert food scraps from landfills and produce nutrient-rich compost for soil enrichment and agricultural purposes.
Anaerobic digestion facilities convert organic waste into biogas and nutrient-rich digestate, providing renewable energy and organic fertilizer.
Food Waste Disposal Methods
Businesses have various options for disposing of food waste, each with its own benefits and considerations.
By selecting the most suitable approach, they can manage food waste effectively while minimizing environmental impact and maximizing resource efficiency.
Here are some of the key disposal methods for food waste:
Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is a biological process where microorganisms break down organic waste, including food scraps, without oxygen.
The remaining digestate is nutrient-rich and serves as a soil conditioner or fertilizer. Anaerobic digestion facilities provide a sustainable way to manage organic waste while generating renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Composting
Composting is a natural process where microorganisms, fungi, and earthworms decompose food scraps and organic matter into nutrient-rich compost.
Over time, this breaks down into humus, a nutrient-rich substance that enriches soil and enhances plant growth.
Composting recycles food waste, diverts it from landfills, reduces methane emissions, and produces a valuable soil amendment.
Food Waste-to-Energy
Food waste-to-energy technologies convert organic waste into renewable energy, such as biogas or biofuels, through thermal or biochemical conversion processes.
Thermal conversion technologies, like incineration and pyrolysis, heat organic waste without oxygen to produce combustible gases for energy.
Biochemical methods, such as fermentation and enzymatic digestion, convert organic waste into biogas, bioethanol, or biodiesel.
Food waste-to-energy facilities offer a sustainable alternative to landfills, generating renewable energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Landfill
Landfilling non-recyclable food waste causes anaerobic decomposition, which produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
While convenient and cost-effective, landfills pose environmental risks like groundwater contamination, soil degradation, and air pollution.
To reduce these impacts, prioritising waste reduction, recycling, and more sustainable disposal methods is important for your business.
If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter after China and the U.S.
Food Waste Bins
Businesses can enhance waste separation by using dedicated food waste bins alongside advanced management technologies.
These bins are specifically designed to capture and contain organic waste, making it easier for businesses to segregate food scraps from other waste streams.
Food waste bins come in various sizes and configurations to accommodate different volumes of waste and can be placed strategically throughout commercial kitchens, dining areas, and food preparation areas.
Incorporating food waste bins helps businesses promote waste separation, enable composting or anaerobic digestion, and reduce contamination of recyclables.
Convenient bins also encourage employee participation and reinforce the company’s commitment to sustainability.
Food Waste Facts & Statistics
- Nearly one third of all food produced is wasted before it can be eaten
- Food waste squanders nearly a quarter of the world’s fresh water supply.
- The water that’s wasted by misspent food could be used by 9 billion people, giving each person 200 litres per day.
- Europe wastes between 95-115 kg of food per year per person!
- If food waste was a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter behind China and the United States.
- Half of all produce is thrown away because it is deemed not attractive enough for the consumer.
- The land that is used to grow food that never actually gets eaten is larger than China!
- 63% of people don’t know the difference between “use by” and “best before” dates displayed on food packaging, which results in more unnecessary disposal of perfectly edible food.
- 40-60% of fish that are caught in Europe are just thrown away due to being the incorrect size for retailer guidelines or not of a high enough quality.
Read our full facts guide for more food waste statistics!
Conclusion
In conclusion, UK businesses must see food waste management as both a moral obligation and a key aspect of sustainability.
By proactively addressing waste throughout the supply chain, they can reduce environmental impact, comply with regulations, and realize cost savings.
Effective food waste management also helps build a more resilient and equitable food system for future generations.
