The issues
Research has consistently shown meat to be a critical category with regard to GHG emissions.
Global agreements, such as the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, are explicit on the need to involve business in delivering their targets by working along the supply chain, tracking productivity metrics, benchmarking and collaborate efforts on innovations in areas like feed.
Alongside losses in the supply chain, households in the UK throw away 250,000 tonnes of beef, pork and poultry products (not counting bones and fat) on an annual basis. This is over 10% of purchases – and a huge waste of resources and value for customers.
With food waste increasingly of media and political interest, there is a real opportunity for businesses to take action, cut costs from avoidable losses and differentiate themselves from the competition.
What can my organisation do?
Meat in a Net Zero world
A UK meat industry commitment to action to optimise productivity and minimise waste from farm to fork.
Target, Measure, Act
Food surplus and waste measurement and reporting guidelines which provide recommendations for meat processing businesses (abattoirs and cutting plants), based on the specific operational considerations and challenges relevant to this sector.
Labelling best practice
Our research shows that people really value having information that helps them make better use of their food, particularly on-pack. Implementing this best practice will help to significantly reduce the two million tonnes of food thrown away each year from our homes due to it not being used in time and also help deliver a four-fold increase in surplus food redistribution by 2025.
Helping citizens
12% of purchases are wasted in the home and the principle reasons are not using food in time because it smelled or looked off or it was past the date on the label. Our citizen campaign Love Food Hate Waste helps citizens to make the right choices.
Reducing water stress
How the Courtauld 2025 Water Ambition's collective action projects are helping to reduce water scarcity.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Taking action to reduce the 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents associated with UK food and drink.