Daniel Zeichner, Minister of State at Defra, has commended FareShare's dedication to tackling food waste during a visit to their South West warehouse in Bristol.
Mr Zeichner met with FareShare CEO George Wright and the warehouse team who handle the storage and distribution of surplus food to charities in the region.
FareShare partners with various food industry players to redistribute edible surplus food to over 8,000 charities and community groups nationwide.
Reflecting on his visit, Mr Zeichner remarked, “FareShare’s efforts to stop surplus food going to waste, and getting it to the people who need it most across the UK, is an encouraging glimpse of a more sustainable food sector.”
However, he added a caveat, “But we cannot rely on charity to address food poverty, and I’m proud to be part of a government that is developing an ambitious strategy to reduce poverty and tackle inequality.”
Despite FareShare's collaboration with numerous businesses, an estimated 7 billion meals' worth of food is still wasted annually across the food industry.
Marking its 30th anniversary, FareShare recently launched its manifesto, “Where’s the Food? Strengthening Communities Through Surplus Food Redistribution”, urging the government to simplify food donation processes for businesses.
The manifesto outlines plans to significantly reduce food waste, support communities and promote a sustainable food system. It also calls for a UK-wide plan to end reliance on charitable food aid and tackle the root causes of poverty.
FareShare CEO George Wright stated, “In recent weeks, Defra has highlighted its commitment to achieving a zero waste Britain and adopting a circular economy. We welcome this vision from the department and were pleased to meet with the Minister, who has steadfastly advocated for a sustainable British food industry.”
He concluded, ”We look forward to collaborating with the new government to transform the issue of food waste into a positive social impact.”
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