Trend watch: Food waste reduction in 2026

Opening stat: The United Kingdom wastes approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food annually—equivalent to 14 million tonnes of CO2 emissions—costing the economy £19 billion per year according to WRAP's Food Waste Reduction Roadmap Progress Report 2025. Despite significant policy attention and voluntary commitments, per-capita food waste has declined only 7% since 2015, well short of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target of 50% reduction by 2030.

A buyer's guide: how to evaluate solutions. Focus on a sector comparison with benchmark KPIs.

Why It Matters

Food waste represents a triple failure: economic resources squandered, environmental harm caused by emissions from production and decomposition, and food security foregone while 8.4 million UK residents experience food insecurity. From a climate perspective, food systems contribute 25–30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with food loss and waste accounting for 8–10% of total emissions—comparable to global road transport.

The regulatory landscape in the UK is intensifying. The Environment Act 2021 mandates that all businesses and households have separate food waste collection by 2024 (for businesses) and 2025 (for households). Scotland's deposit return scheme, mandatory food waste reporting for large businesses, and the forthcoming UK-wide Simpler Recycling reforms create compliance obligations that drive demand for waste reduction solutions.

For Scope 3 emissions accounting, food waste represents a significant and often overlooked category. The GHG Protocol's Scope 3 Category 12 (End-of-life treatment of sold products) and Category 5 (Waste generated in operations) capture food waste emissions. As mandatory climate disclosure requirements expand through ISSB adoption and potential UK sustainability reporting standards, accurate food waste measurement becomes a compliance requirement rather than a voluntary initiative.

The investment case is compelling: preventing food waste delivers 4:1 returns in typical food service operations and 2:1 in manufacturing, according to analysis by Champions 12.3. These economics improve further when considering avoided disposal costs (landfill tax at £103.70/tonne as of 2024), potential revenue from surplus redistribution, and brand value from demonstrated sustainability commitments.

Key Concepts

Food Waste Hierarchy

Effective food waste strategy follows a hierarchy prioritizing prevention over recovery:

Prevention: Reducing surplus at source through demand forecasting, inventory optimization, portion control, and product design. Highest value: avoids production costs and all downstream impacts.

Redistribution: Surplus fit for human consumption redirected to food banks, charities, or secondary markets. Provides social value while avoiding disposal.

Animal feed: Surplus unsuitable for human consumption but safe for livestock. Requires regulatory compliance (Animal By-Products Regulations) and food safety protocols.

Recycling: Anaerobic digestion or composting converts unavoidable waste to biogas/energy or soil amendment. Captures energy value but represents resource value loss versus prevention.

Disposal: Landfill or incineration—worst environmental outcome, generating methane emissions (landfill) or energy recovery (incineration) with associated CO2.

Technology Solution Categories

The food waste technology landscape segments into distinct categories:

Measurement and analytics: IoT-enabled waste monitoring (cameras, scales, sensors) combined with AI analytics to identify waste patterns and prevention opportunities. Platforms like Winnow, Leanpath, and Kitro serve this segment.

Demand forecasting: Machine learning systems predicting consumer demand to optimize production and inventory. Applied in retail, hospitality, and food manufacturing.

Redistribution platforms: Marketplaces connecting surplus food generators with recipients (charities, consumers, animal feed producers). Too Good To Go, OLIO, and FareShare represent this segment.

Processing technology: Anaerobic digesters, dehydrators, and composters that convert waste to energy or materials. Range from on-site solutions (dehydrators for commercial kitchens) to industrial-scale AD facilities.

KPI	Manufacturing	Retail	Hospitality	Public Sector
Waste Rate (% of food handled)	2–5%	1.5–3%	8–12%	10–18%
Measurement Coverage (%)	75%	85%	45%	35%
Prevention Investment (£/tonne avoided)	£150–300	£200–400	£100–250	£80–200
Payback Period (months)	6–18	8–14	3–9	12–24
Redistribution Rate (% of surplus)	15%	25%	8%	5%

What's Working

AI-Powered Waste Analytics

The integration of computer vision and machine learning into commercial kitchens has proven transformative. Winnow, a UK-based company whose systems are now deployed in over 2,000 sites across 40 countries, uses cameras and scales to automatically identify discarded food items, quantify waste, and identify prevention opportunities.

Case study data demonstrates impact: Compass Group, the world's largest contract caterer, reported £5 million in annual savings across 1,500 UK sites after Winnow deployment, with average waste reductions of 30% within 12 months. The behavioral component is critical—when kitchen staff see real-time waste data and its financial impact, menu planning and portion decisions change.

Leanpath, an American competitor active in UK markets, reports similar outcomes: average 50% waste reduction in university dining halls, with payback periods under 12 months. The technology has moved from early-adopter status to industry standard in contract catering.

Surplus Redistribution at Scale

FareShare, the UK's largest food redistribution charity, handled 51,000 tonnes of surplus food in 2024—up from 46,000 tonnes in 2023—delivering 121 million meals through its network of 8,500 charities and community groups. The organization's growth reflects both increasing corporate surplus donation and expanded logistics capabilities.

Commercial redistribution platforms demonstrate complementary value. Too Good To Go's "Magic Bags" enabled 15 million "meals saved" in the UK during 2024, connecting consumers with surplus food from 25,000+ partner businesses at discounted prices. The platform's commission model (typically 25% of bag value) provides sustainable economics while delivering 3–4x more environmental impact per pound versus charitable donation alone, as commercial redistribution operates with lower overhead.

Regulatory-Driven Measurement

France's mandatory food waste reporting for large food businesses (since 2016) provides a template the UK is progressively adopting. Companies with >250 employees in food retail and hospitality now face measurement requirements under Environment Act secondary legislation.

The IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution) Waste Measurement and Reporting Protocol provides standardized methodology adopted by major retailers (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op). Adherence to common standards enables benchmarking—Tesco's 2024 food waste report revealed 0.42% of food sold was wasted across UK operations, enabling comparison against retail sector averages of 1.5–3%.

What's Not Working

Household Sector Engagement

While commercial food waste solutions show strong results, household food waste—representing 70% of UK post-farmgate food waste—remains stubbornly resistant. WRAP's Love Food Hate Waste campaign has run since 2007, yet household food waste has declined only 14% over that period.

Barriers include: limited visibility (households lack commercial-grade measurement tools), split incentives (food waste's financial cost is diffuse across purchases), behavioral complexity (meal planning, storage practices, date label confusion), and infrastructure gaps (separate food waste collection remains unavailable to 45% of UK households).

The mandatory separate food waste collection requirement (2025) may accelerate change by making waste visible through filled caddies, but infrastructure rollout is behind schedule—local authorities report vehicle and staff shortages delaying collection service launches.

Small Business Technology Adoption

While large hospitality and retail chains have embraced waste analytics, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) lag significantly. A 2024 WRAP survey found that only 18% of independent restaurants measured food waste systematically, compared to 78% of chain restaurants.

Cost is a factor—entry-level waste analytics systems cost £200–500/month, representing a meaningful expense for a small café. But awareness and capability gaps matter more: small hospitality operators lack the time and expertise to interpret analytics and implement changes. Technology providers have not yet developed SME-appropriate products combining simplicity, low cost, and light-touch implementation support.

Date Label Confusion

Confusion between "use by" (food safety) and "best before" (quality) dates drives significant household and retail waste. WRAP research indicates date label misunderstanding causes 20% of household food waste. The UK Government's commitment to review date labeling has progressed slowly, with industry-led changes (removing "best before" dates from produce) occurring piecemeal.

Retailer initiatives show promise: Waitrose and Morrisons removed "best before" dates from fresh produce in 2022–2023, with Morrisons reporting 63% of customers making positive changes to food storage and consumption habits. However, standardized guidance and regulatory mandates remain pending.

Key Players

Established Leaders

WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme): The UK's leading waste prevention charity, operating the Courtauld Commitment (voluntary agreement with 200+ food businesses), Love Food Hate Waste consumer campaign, and providing measurement methodologies and benchmarking data.
Compass Group UK & Ireland: The UK's largest contract caterer, operating 7,000+ sites with comprehensive food waste reduction programs. Compass's scale enables technology investment and best practice dissemination across diverse venue types.
Tesco: Leading UK supermarket with the most comprehensive food waste reporting and redistribution program. Tesco's Community Food Connection program redistributed surplus from 3,000+ stores in 2024.
Biogen: The UK's largest dedicated food waste anaerobic digestion operator, processing 900,000 tonnes annually at 12 facilities. Biogen provides processing infrastructure essential to the food waste hierarchy.

Emerging Startups

Winnow: Dublin-based AI waste analytics platform with strong UK presence. Raised $20 million Series B in 2023, deployed across Hilton, Accor, IKEA, and major contract caterers globally.
Too Good To Go: Copenhagen-headquartered surplus food marketplace operating in 17 countries. UK operations include 25,000+ partner locations and growing emphasis on B2B redistribution alongside consumer app.
OLIO: UK-based peer-to-peer food sharing app with 8 million users globally. OLIO's Food Waste Heroes program connects volunteers with businesses for surplus collection and community redistribution.
Kitro: Swiss startup with UK expansion, offering automated waste measurement for commercial kitchens using cameras and AI. Focus on smaller hospitality operations with simplified implementation.

Key Investors & Funders

WRAP: Distributes approximately £20 million annually in grant funding for food waste prevention projects, research, and behavior change campaigns. Funded primarily by Defra and the devolved governments.
HSBC Climate Solutions Fund: Investment arm backing food system sustainability including waste reduction technologies and infrastructure.
Balderton Capital: European VC with investments in food-tech including Too Good To Go, signaling conviction in redistribution platform model.
Innovate UK: Provided £15 million in 2024–2025 for food system innovation grants, including food waste technology development and commercialization.

Examples

IKEA UK Food Waste Halving Initiative (2023–2024): IKEA committed to halving food waste across its 22 UK stores and restaurants by 2025. Partnering with Winnow for measurement and analytics, IKEA reduced food waste per meal served by 45% within 18 months. Key interventions included redesigned buffet layouts reducing over-serving, real-time production adjustment based on customer flow, and staff training emphasizing financial and environmental costs. IKEA estimated £1.2 million in annual savings, with learnings cascaded across IKEA's 450+ stores globally—demonstrating how UK pilot programs can scale to multinational impact.
Morrisons Date Label Reform (2022–2025): Morrisons became the first major UK supermarket to remove "best before" dates from 90% of its own-brand fresh produce, relying instead on sensory cues ("look, smell, taste"). Internal tracking showed 40% reduction in store-level produce waste within categories where dates were removed. Consumer research found 78% positive reception, with shoppers reporting increased confidence in their own judgment. The initiative influenced competitor action: Sainsbury's, Co-op, and Waitrose subsequently removed dates from select produce categories, accelerating industry-wide change.
FareShare and Tesco Community Food Connection Partnership (2024): Tesco's in-store redistribution program, operated in partnership with FareShare, connected 3,100 stores with local charities through a dedicated app. Store colleagues use the FareShare Go app to list surplus food, matched to local charity needs in real-time. In 2024, the program redistributed 82,000 tonnes of food—equivalent to 195 million meals—with 98% charity acceptance rate indicating high match quality. Tesco reported that redistribution now captures 65% of edible surplus, up from 45% in 2020, demonstrating the potential for retailer-charity partnerships operating at national scale.

Action Checklist

Conduct baseline food waste measurement across operations using standardized methodology (WRAP Waste Measurement and Reporting Protocol or equivalent)
Evaluate AI-powered waste analytics platforms for facilities with £500k+ annual food spend—ROI typically exceeds 3:1
Establish redistribution partnerships with FareShare, OLIO, or Too Good To Go for edible surplus before diversion to AD/composting
Review date labeling practices for own-brand products—consider "best before" removal for produce categories
Map Environment Act compliance requirements: mandatory food waste collection, measurement, and reporting obligations
Integrate food waste into Scope 3 emissions accounting under GHG Protocol Categories 5 and 12
Develop SME engagement strategies if operating franchise, supply chain, or industry association programs

FAQ

Q: What is the typical ROI for commercial food waste prevention investment? A: ROI varies significantly by sector and baseline waste levels. Hospitality operations with high waste rates (10%+) typically see 3–6 month payback on measurement systems and 4:1 annual returns. Food manufacturing with lower waste rates (2–5%) sees longer payback (12–18 months) but sustained annual returns of 2–3:1. Retailers face more complex economics—prevention investments may reduce shrinkage but require careful attribution. Champions 12.3 analysis indicates global average of $14 return per $1 invested in food waste prevention, though UK-specific figures are lower due to higher baseline efficiency.

Q: How should organizations prioritize the food waste hierarchy in practice? A: Prevention always ranks first in economic and environmental value. For unavoidable surplus, prioritization depends on quality and logistics: (1) Human-grade surplus close to charities should go to redistribution—FareShare provides collection from sites with >200kg/week surplus; (2) Commercial redistribution (Too Good To Go) suits consumer-facing businesses with predictable surplus patterns; (3) Animal feed requires regulatory compliance but offers revenue for qualifying surplus; (4) Anaerobic digestion for truly unavoidable waste captures energy value and generates renewable natural gas. Organizations should set cascading targets—e.g., 50% waste prevention, 30% redistribution, 20% recycling—and track performance against each tier.

Q: What measurement methodology should organizations adopt? A: The IGD/WRAP Waste Measurement and Reporting Protocol provides the UK standard for food industry reporting. Key principles include: (1) Measure food waste by weight in kilograms or tonnes; (2) Separate food waste from associated packaging; (3) Categorize by destination (landfill, AD, composting, redistribution, animal feed); (4) Report against food handled (not food sold) to enable cross-sector comparison; (5) Distinguish between avoidable and unavoidable waste where feasible. Technology solutions (Winnow, Leanpath, Kitro) automate measurement, but manual diary-based measurement following WRAP protocols remains appropriate for smaller operations.

Q: How does food waste interact with Scope 3 emissions reporting? A: Food waste affects multiple Scope 3 categories: Category 5 (Waste generated in operations) captures waste from owned facilities; Category 12 (End-of-life treatment of sold products) captures emissions from consumer disposal of sold food. Calculation requires waste quantity data combined with emission factors for disposal method—landfill produces ~1.0 tCO2e/tonne from methane, AD produces ~0.1 tCO2e/tonne (net of energy generation), and composting ~0.15 tCO2e/tonne. Prevention additionally avoids embodied emissions in wasted food—typically 2–5 tCO2e per tonne of food depending on product type. Organizations subject to ISSB/ISSB-aligned disclosure should integrate food waste measurement into emissions accounting protocols.

Q: What are the key regulatory developments to monitor? A: Priority UK regulatory developments include: (1) Mandatory food waste collection (Environment Act)—household collection deadline 2025, business deadline 2024 (with enforcement ramping through 2025); (2) Deposit return scheme (Scotland operational 2025, UK-wide TBC)—affects beverage containers but signals regulatory direction; (3) EPR for packaging (2025 operational)—includes food contact packaging with eco-modulation for recyclability; (4) UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (under development)—may mandate food waste disclosure for large companies; (5) Landfill tax trajectory—currently £103.70/tonne, scheduled annual increases strengthen disposal avoidance economics.

Sources

Champions 12.3. (2024). SDG 12.3 Progress Report 2024: Accelerating Action on Food Loss and Waste. Champions 12.3 Coalition.
DEFRA. (2024). Food Statistics Pocketbook 2024. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
FareShare. (2025). Annual Impact Report 2024. FareShare UK.
IGD. (2024). Food Waste Measurement and Reporting Protocol. Institute of Grocery Distribution.
Too Good To Go. (2025). UK Impact Report 2024. Too Good To Go.
WRAP. (2025). Food Waste Reduction Roadmap Progress Report 2024. Waste and Resources Action Programme.