£1.15 million Defra funding to help tackle UK food waste

£1.15 million of funding has been announced by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) to help businesses and not-for-profits to develop new ways of tackling food waste by changing people’s behaviour or transforming it into other materials.

From educating the public on how to store fresh food, to ideas such as turning waste into new, edible products, grants will be available for creative solutions to address this environmental challenge.

The government’s Food Waste Champion, Ben Elliot, also announced he will hold the first ever ‘Food Waste Action Week’ from Monday 11 May and called on households and businesses across the country to join forces to reduce waste. 

“I encourage and implore everyone to get stuck in, joining together and taking the fight to food waste. More details will be provided shortly on what we must all do at home and at work,” Elliot said.

“The UK is a proud world leader in tackling food waste, owing in part to the innovation and creativity of many organisations across the UK – from educating the public on food waste in our homes, to making our supply chains greener,” said Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow.

“I look forward to supporting UK organisations who are taking up the mantle to tackle food waste and to create a better world for ourselves, as well as generations to come. It makes sense in every way – it cuts collection costs, saves the customer money and importantly reduces emissions which benefits the environment.”

The Citizen Food Waste Prevention and Value From Food Waste grants will be managed by sustainability not-for-profit WRAP, which works closely with governments, businesses and citizens to reduce waste, from running public awareness campaigns such as Love Food Hate Waste, to working with local councils to offer residents separate food waste collections.

“We are looking forward to receiving applications from innovative and imaginative programmes and projects that will have a real impact in reducing the level of food waste in our homes and making sure we get more value from food waste in supply chains – priorities for both WRAP and Defra,” said Peter Maddox, Director of WRAP.