UK Manufacturers Make Significant Progress on Packaging and Waste Targets

The results show there has been a decrease of 8.8% in supply chain product and packaging waste against a 5% target compared to 2009.

12 Oct 2012 --- The food and drink industry, the UK's largest manufacturing sector, has made significant steps in reducing supply chain and packaging waste, according to results published today.

Results released by WRAP show that Food and Drink Federation signatories have delivered significant progress over the second year of Phase 2 of WRAP's Courtauld Commitment. The results show there has been a decrease of 8.8% in supply chain product and packaging waste against a 5% target compared to 2009.

The results also highlight that over the same two year period, there has been an 8.2% reduction in the carbon impact of packaging against a 10% target.

FDF Director of Sustainability, Andrew Kuyk said: “These results are good news for FDF members and their suppliers, particularly at a time when there are a whole host of global pressures on business to deliver resource efficiency savings and decouple environmental impacts from the economic growth we so urgently need.”

Courtauld 2 is also an integral part of FDF's Five-fold Environmental Ambition, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year and has led the way in setting clear and measurable targets for our sector.

It is an excellent example of the results that can be achieved through voluntary agreements, where Government and industry work together to deliver a common set of aims. FDF members have consistently championed WRAP's work on preventing waste and were at the forefront of the programme of site reviews.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with WRAP in the months ahead, both to complete delivery of the remaining Courtauld 2 targets and to help frame what happens when the current agreement expires at the end of this year.