Food: Supermarkets

Environment Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered at on 12 March 2012.

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Photo of Brian H Donohoe Brian H Donohoe Labour, Central Ayrshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage supermarkets to redistribute food waste to help reduce food poverty in areas of high deprivation.

Photo of James Paice James Paice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We strongly encourage supermarkets to work with organisations that redistribute surplus food to help reduce food poverty, to assist the homeless, and to provide access to nutritional meals to those who may otherwise struggle. Some retailers have arrangements in place with charities, such as FareShare, to collect and redistribute their surplus food.

There may be opportunities for redistribution of surplus food from the supply chain, as well as from supermarkets. In December 2011, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my noble Friend Lord Taylor of Holbeach, wrote to organisations representing food producers to encourage them to consider working with redistribution charities.

We will also continue to work with grocery manufacturers and retailers to reduce food waste via phase two of the Courtauld Commitment, a responsibility deal managed by the Waste and Resources Action Programme on behalf of DEFRA and the devolved Administrations.

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