The European Parliament has called on member states to take urgent policies and strategic measures to halve food waste in the European Union (EU) by 2025.The call coincides with the release of figures from the European Commission, indicating  that up to 50 per cent of food is wasted in the European Union each year. According to the European Commission, 79 million EU citizens currently live below the poverty line, with 16 million depending on food benefits and aids from charitable institutions. MEPs... ...Read more »

The UK’s Food and Drink Federation has called on the food industry to take a holistic approach to reducing waste and improving efficiency. Speaking today at the Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum, FDF director of sustainability and competitiveness Andrew Kuyk said that, to date, food manufacturers have taken an approach to sustainability that focuses on reducing waste and improving resource efficiency within their own operations. “This has been an easy sell,” he suggested. “Resource... ...Read more »

Food rescue group SecondBite today released a report on the impact of its rescued fresh food on the many people who rely on the community food programs it supplies, revealing that two thirds rely on the programs for at least half their food intake, and that one third get all of their fruit and vegetables from meals served by SecondBite’s partners. The report – Food Rescue: A Fresh Approach – was launched today at Melbourne’s Prahran Mission by Victorian Premier and SecondBite... ...Read more »

A new survey commissioned by McCain Foods Australia has revealed that while 60% of Australians are concerned about the problem of food waste, only half of these people (32%) see it as an issue within their household. The survey, commissioned by McCain Foods Australia and surveying 1004 Australians, reveals a stark contrast between the concerns around food waste and the acceptance of responsibility within the community, with 47% of Australians admitting to throwing out food on a weekly basis. The... ...Read more »

UK supermarket Waitrose and recycling experts Cawleys have jointly been awarded by the Association for Organics Recycling for their pioneering waste-to-energy recycling program, where food waste is sent for conversion to energy and fed into the national grid.  To date, Waitrose has generated a total of 400 megawatt hours of electricity using the process, enough to boil almost eight million kettles. The process, known as anaerobic digestion, uses microorganisms to break down biodegradable material. ... ...Read more »

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has congratulated Australia’s 2010 Local Hero – New South Wales OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn. Ms Kahn, from Bronte, was recognised as part of the Australian of the Year Awards 2010 for her social and environmental leadership as the founder of OzHarvest – a charity which collects excess food from commercial operators and redistributes it to local charities. “Ronni Kahn is an outstanding citizen who inspires... ...Read more »

The UK’s largest retailer has launched the first of its new “Buy One, Get One Free Later” deals, designed in response to alarming research showing the high levels of food waste. Such is the extent of food waste in the UK that the government is looking at the prospect of clamping down on traditional ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ (BOGOF) deals. This has already elicited a response from retailers, with Tesco’s new discount strategy to include the ability for customers to... ...Read more »

In the wake of concerns about the waste created by ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ offers (BOGOFs), UK retailer Sainsbury’s has introduced a new, but similar offer, to tackle such concerns. The ‘buy now free next time’ deal allows customers to get the product free next time they are in store and it will be initially offered on nappies and baguettes. “Following feedback from our customers, we learnt that whilst ‘buy one get one free’ promotional offers on nappies... ...Read more »

More than a third of shoppers have said they are tempted to try something new by in-store promotions such as “buy one get one free” (BOGOF), new research from Britain shows. According to latest consumer research from IGD, 37% of shoppers admitted that in-store promotions, such as ‘reduced price’ and ‘BOGOFs’, prompt them to try something new when they are doing their food shopping, whereas 29% say that advertising, such as TV or magazines, encourages them to try... ...Read more »

Tesco has launched a different kind of bogof promotion in its latest bid to help UK consumers lower their carbon footprint. The UK’s largest retailer said that shoppers would see “Buy One Get One Free – Later” offers in its stores. The promotion is designed to allow consumers to pick up their free product “when they need it” and help keep waste down, Tesco claimed. The offer was unveiled as Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy said the retailer would look to reduce... ...Read more »