Today marks a significant step forward towards action on greenhouse gas emissions in the food and drink industry, with the release of A Net Zero Transition Plan for the UK Food System, a new report from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), WRAP and EY.
Here at WRAP, we’re proud to have collaborated with IGD and EY, contributing our expertise in data-driven action. This report looks to bring together the sector behind a strategic plan to achieve a UK food system compatible with its net zero commitments. The intention is that this will catalyse a fresh and focused phase of collective action.
This report models a potential 25% reduction in emissions from the 2021 baseline by 2030, with action across agriculture, electricity, heat, and domestic transport. Its recommendations are based on systematic modelling of supply-side GHG mitigation strategies with new cost estimates at the national level for each action area.
A framework for change
It lays out the enabling framework for such change – the actions and investments that government can take – which we hope will contribute to UK and devolved governments’ thinking on the transition to Net Zero. It also identifies the private sector’s role in the investments it makes, in the priority given to Net Zero and nature in collaboration between competitors, and across the value chain, with the farming community at the heart.
The Net Zero Transition Plan emphasises the need for increased green financial incentives for UK farmers and to drive climate-positive practices in imported food supply chains. We can only achieve our Net Zero, and nature, goals by investing in our farmers, recognising the many pressures farmers are experiencing, and that the future of our food and drink system depends on the creation of a resilient UK food and farming sector, providing affordable nutritious food for all, whilst protecting and restoring nature. Without fairness, security and sufficient financial rewards for Net Zero action reaching our farmers, there can be no meaningful climate action in the food sector.
WRAP’s Agri-Food Forum and Meat in a Net Zero World programme have started to identify some of the specific actions that companies can take on agriculture. Now we need to go to scale.
From farm to fork
We must also take urgent action to reduce the emissions associated with the ‘demand’ side of the food system. The report highlights the opportunity we have to reduce, even eliminate, food waste – which as well as costing our planet, is costing the average household of four around a staggering £1000 a year in good food going in the bin. Whilst we’ve made great strides on food waste reductions through the voluntary food sector Courtauld Commitment, we need an acceleration to hit the 2030 goal of halving the nation’s waste. Now is the time to step up to the plate backing proven solutions, finding innovations.
The other key demand side lever is diets. Our past research has underscored that greater adoption of the Eatwell diet by 2030 is a key pillar of a viable pathway to cut the GHG footprint of UK food and drink by 50% by 2030. This report uses a more conservative approach to modelling dietary shift and calls for further work to ensure industry has a unified approach grounded in robust scientific evidence, and which addresses nutrition, nature and affordability, as well as GHG emissions. Changing the nation’s diet isn’t just critical for hitting net zero goals; it’s also fundamental to creating a resilient UK food system that can provide nutritious, affordable food for everyone, foster a thriving rural economy, protect and restore our natural environment. It is not for the faint-hearted, but at WRAP, we are keen to support this shift, leaning into the complexity and need for clear evidence and data, and practical, workable solutions.
Collaboration for good
We recognise that solving complex sustainability challenges is not something any single organisation can tackle alone. Achieving progress demands collaboration and compromise - principles that have guided us in this work. We have contributed WRAP modelling on UK food system GHGs as part of the technical underpinning and collaborated with key organisations such as IGD and WWF.
Together for success
Just as we know that we can only achieve Net Zero and nature goals through collaborative action by businesses, so we as NGOs must join-up, and turn our diversity of experience, perspective and expertise into a strength, which unlocks action at scale. I have learnt a lot from working on this report, not just about MACC curves (!), but also about compromise and progress.
The UK food and drink sector has all the ingredients to make this historic transition to a better food system – to do it well, to do it in time, and to show the world that UK Food can make good on its promises. This is the best current truth on the pathway to Net Zero, and we urge all stakeholders to use it as a catalyst to action.