A new campaign to tackle the £3bn of food thrown away at hospitality and food service outlets has been launched at a Government symposium.
Guardians of Grub has been developed by the organisation, WRAP, as part of its ambitious work
to cut food waste from farm to fork, and was unveiled at a special symposium organised by the Government’s Food Surplus and Waste Champion, Ben Elliot, and attended by senior business figures, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Michael Gove, and some of the UK’s most well-known restaurateurs and chefs.
It is aimed at empowering professionals from across the hospitality and food service sector to reduce the amount of food thrown away in their establishments. The campaign is aimed at everyone from Michelin star restaurants to local pubs and wherever food is served to order. It is about making simple, low-cost changes to the way food is bought, prepared and served that have waste reduction in mind.
Elliot commented: “This campaign brilliantly shines a light on the food waste epidemic. Initiatives like this provide a strong foundation for change. Less conversation, more action. We are all in this together. It’s time to stand tall and work towards a waste-less future.”
A suite of free materials has been produced, using the latest behavioural change strategies to inform best practice that can easily be incorporated into any business, by anyone. These include information posters and how-to guides, and a free calculator to record the changes being made.
Marcus Gover, WRAP CEO, added: “We will not tackle the impact of global warming if we don’t fix the food system, and everyone needs to play their part. If everyone in the hospitality and food service industry put as much passion into reducing waste as they do into creating delicious food, it would make a massive difference to cutting the damage food waste is doing to our planet. Through this great new campaign, we are showing how everyone can reduce food waste without compromising on quality, or customer experience, and save money. It’s a double win; for the environment and for business.”
The high-profile launch will be followed by a dedicated month of action in September, when the hospitality and food service sector will come together.
