Too Good To Go is advocating for mandatory food waste disclosures by Defra, challenging the current voluntary system.
- 80% of respondents in a consultation support mandatory disclosure, but the decision remains voluntary.
- The government’s choice is influenced by the costs to large businesses associated with compulsory reporting.
- Too Good To Go warns this decision could threaten environmental goals for 2030 and 2050.
- Jamie Crummie of Too Good To Go describes the situation as disheartening and regressive.
The initiative by Too Good To Go calls for a shift from voluntary participation to a mandatory requirement for food waste disclosures, as facilitated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The current system, despite substantial backing from consultation participants, continues to rely on voluntary disclosures. This decision emerges from considerations regarding the financial implications for larger enterprises.
In an observation noted by The Grocer, the government’s stance appears to reflect a broader concern about the economic burden that mandatory reporting would impose on sizable companies. Yet, this position has sparked considerable debate given that 80% of survey respondents favor a more stringent, mandatory approach to achieving transparency in food waste management.
Too Good To Go emphasizes the potential risks inherent in the government’s decision, asserting that the absence of obligatory food waste reporting could seriously compromise the United Kingdom’s established environmental objectives, particularly the 2030 agenda and the 2050 net-zero emissions target. This issue aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals committing to a halving of food waste by the year 2030.
Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, stresses the gravity of dismissing food waste reduction initiatives, pointing out, ‘Neglecting food waste reduction has far-reaching global consequences, with food waste contributing 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing even the aviation industry’s impact.’ He further remarks on the necessity of implementing mandatory reporting as a ‘pivotal and necessary step in supporting people and businesses on their journey to reduce food waste.’
Crummie advocates for the critical data that mandatory disclosures could provide, which would significantly enhance collaboration across the food supply chain, optimizing both time and resources. By fostering a unified approach towards diminishing food waste, stakeholders can better align their efforts and drive impactful sustainable practices.
Compulsory food waste disclosures could be instrumental in achieving both national and global environmental targets.
