Waste not

One of the big issues in Europe is food a waste and the amount of food being thrown away by supermarkets. France has introduced a no waste policy and fresh food that would be discarded is now donated to charities.

In the UK Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall of River Cottage fame has launched Food Share to help reduce the 10 million tonnes of fresh food waste generated in the UK, that would fill the Wembley Stadium 10 times. Whilst this food is being wasted it is estimated in London alone there are 400,000 people suffering from food poverty. Even newspapers like the London Evening Standard have launched a campaign called Felix Project.

The average UK supermarket donates around 3% of its food waste to charities and the aim is to develop a system like the French where all waste fresh food is donated to charities.

I did some shopping in Sainsbury’s and it was interesting to note that the signage was promoting how to reduce fresh food waste rather than on freshness. We are going to see a lot more developments on the food waste issue.