The benefits of reducing food waste in health and social care settings

Reducing food waste can decrease general waste and save your organisation money.

NHS England provide 140 million inpatient meals per year, spending £633 million on inpatient food provision and estimate that food and catering services in the NHS produces 1,543 ktCO2e each year, which makes up around 6% of the NHS’s total emissions.

Guardians of Grub provides food service businesses with the knowledge and resources to set a reduction target, measure food loss and waste and take steps to reduce it. Read our case studies to learn how such organisations have implemented changes to reduce their food and drink waste. Our quick-start Action List will also help you reduce food waste.

The Food Waste Reduction Roadmap is the leading free access initiative for UK food businesses, developed by industry in collaboration with WRAP and the IGD. Guidance is provided for specific sectors such as food retail operations and the hospitality and food service sector.

Statutory Guidance is also available for businesses or organisations which produce, handle, treat, or dispose of surplus or waste food and drink.

Food and drink material hierarchy

Similar to the waste hierarchy, which all businesses and organisations have a duty to follow, WRAP’s food and drink material hierarchy encourages waste prevention at source, with disposal as a last resort.

If food and drink waste cannot be prevented, this hierarchy prioritises the redistribution of edible food to people first, and to then be used in animal feed, ahead of recycling or composting food waste.

By following this hierarchy, you will be able to:

minimise the environmental impact of your organisation’s food and drink waste

maximise the value of food and drink surplus, e.g. by reselling or donating to charity

reduce associated waste, e.g. packaging from food goods and products.

Food redistribution

Did you know it’s safe to redistribute edible food, unless its past its use-by date!

You’ll find all the information you need to help increase the amount of surplus food your organisation redistributes at WRAP’s Surplus Food Redistribution Resource Hub.