Tesco CEO Dave Lewis announced that the retailer has established partnership agreements with 24 of its largest food suppliers, with the aim of halving food waste by 2030.
The suppliers, who together represent over £17 billion worth of Tesco sales, will publish food waste data for their own operations within 12 months, and have committed to reducing food waste in their supply chains, as well as making it easier for consumers to reduce waste at home.
Tesco has been publishing its own food waste data for its UK operations for the past four years, but has now committed to doing the same for its businesses in the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary.
The retailer says that this move builds on the company's 'commitment to transparency', which will also help to reduce waste further in the future.
Sustainability Progress
Speaking at a meeting of sustainability group Champions 12.3 in New York, Lewis said that he was delighted that many of Tesco's major suppliers have "taken this important step" to reduce food waste.
“Great progress has been made, but the reality is that we need many more companies, countries or cities committing to halve food waste by 2030, measuring and publishing their data and acting on that insight to tackle food waste," he added.
The suppliers involved in the new agreement are Yeo Valley, Gomez, Branston, Greencore, Icelandic Seachill, AMT, DPS, Kepak Meat Division, G's, Allied Bakeries, Moy Park, Richard Hochfeld, Ornua, Cranswick, Samworths, 2SFG, Hilton, Espersen, Greenyard Frozen, Müller Milk & Ingredients, Kerry Foods, Bakkavor, Froneri, and Noble.
Tesco says that this is the first agreement struck between a major retailer and its food suppliers, and follows agreements established over the last 12 months at the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) and the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF).
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
