This guide is aimed at food and drink producers, manufacturers and retailers, logistics providers and wholesalers who are already sending food surpluses to animal feed or those who wish to investigate the possibilities for their company. It will help you identify suitable surplus food, understand the current legislation, and implement robust processes and procedures.
- Building the business case
- Guidance on diverting surplus food to animal feed
- Case studies from manufacturing and retail
Wherever possible, surplus food should be used to feed people first. Where this isn’t possible, using it in animal feed has considerable economic and environmental benefits for food and drink companies.
Every year in the UK, around 660,000 tonnes of former foodstuffs are processed as animal feed, worth £110 million. But recent research has indicated up to 800,000 tonnes of food surplus could be suitable for use in animal feed.
On the environmental side, food and drink sent to animal feed is not legally defined as ‘waste’ because it is classed as a method of waste prevention therefore having a lower environmental impact than waste management routes.
To help food and drink companies send more surplus food for use in animal feed, WRAP has produced a suite of resources to help you make a strong business case, navigate all of the statutory requirements surrounding animal feed, and see how others are benefitting from switching from waste disposal to animal feed routes.
Coming soon: Building the Business Case for diverting surplus food to animal feed
Disposing of food waste to AD or landfill has a cost, but surpluses for animal feed usually achieve an income; this document will help you see how the figures stack up.
It will also provide information on how the environmental case for using food surplus in animal feed can boost a business’ Corporate Social Responsibility achievements.
Guidance on sending surplus food to animal feed
This guide is aimed at food and drink producers, manufacturers and retailers, logistics providers and wholesalers who are already sending food surpluses to animal feed or those who wish to investigate the possibilities for their company. It will help you identify suitable surplus food, understand the current legislation, and implement robust processes and procedures.
Examples of how manufacturers and retailers are benefitting from sending surplus food to animal feed
Arla have worked with their partners to send 100% of surplus food from their largest factory to animal feed, instead of anaerobic digestion, achieving significant cost reductions.
We are delighted to have worked with partners to divert our surplus products to animal feed which benefits both out businesses and the environment
Richard Laxton, Sustainability Manager, Arla
Tesco and SugaRich have worked together to divert 80% of surplus bakery products from anaerobic digestion to animal feed.
The project has been worth all of the hard work as we realise significant cost savings and environmental benefits.
Kirsty Howland, Procurement Manager - Waste & Recycling, Tesco
By diverting surplus soft drink products away from anaerobic digestion to redistribution and animal feed, Coca-Cola Enterprises have created net cost savings and helped food charities provide social value.
The programme has exceeded expectations and will continue to be an integrated part of our production model.
Wayne Boden, GB Environment Manager, Cola-Cola Enterprises
Further information
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