Waitrose achieves zero food waste to landfill ahead of target
Waitrose has achieved its aim of sending zero food waste to landfill three months earlier than planned.
The grocer said that all 280 of its UK branches will send food waste which is unfit for consumption for recycling from this week. The supermarket initially set itself a target of the end of the year for the goal but has achieved its aim three months early.
Waitrose will continue to work with long term partner Cawleys who will use Anaerobic Digestion as a sustainable alternative to landfill for all Waitrose branches. Where AD is not an option, In Vessel Composting will be used.
The move follows Waitrose’s announcement in July this year that it is also enabling all of its branches to donate surplus food within their local community by the end of the year. Waitrose has also cut food waste through campaigns such as using damaged fruit and vegetables in its Partner dining rooms, and promoting weather damaged produce to its customers in support of British farmers.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Waitrose recycling & waste manager, Mike Walters, said: “Of course it’s not in our interest to produce any food waste at all, which is why we work hard to minimise it in the first instance. Inevitably we generate some surplus food, and where it is not fit to be donated to the local community, AD has proven to be a sustainable way of eliminating the need to send it to landfill, reducing our impact on the environment and creating renewable energy along the way. It is an exciting time for the company as we extend our work with Cawleys to our remaining UK shops, helping us achieve our target of zero food to landfill.”
Cawleys sales director Tony Goodman added: “Working with Waitrose we have led the way in food waste recycling for UK supermarkets, and it’s exciting to help Partners across all Waitrose stores achieve their target of sending zero food waste to landfill. With an increasing number of AD plants available to companies even more food waste can be diverted from landfill, a sustainable as well as cost-effective decision that more companies should be taking in the future.”
