It tends to be where the biggest gains can be made in retail’s attempts to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their sustainability credentials – and judging by this week’s Food & Drink Expo, it’s where lots of the focus is.
Supplier sustainability support was the talk of the event, with large and small retailers alike discussing their strategies in helping reduce scope three emissions by working more closely with the wider supply chain.
On the subject of food waste and the importance of food re-distribution to help tackle food poverty, Ocado Retail’s sustainability manager Abigail Mines said more work needs to be done to “unlock surplus” food across the retail world.
“Unlocking from the value chain is definitely the answer,” she said on stage, adding that farms need more support from government and businesses like hers in the redistribution food that otherwise would go to waste.
She called on the government to incentivise farms to redistribute surplus food found at the production stage, and said corporates must find ways to support farm programmes where they can. Mines also said mandatory food waste reporting in business would make the process of food redistribution more transparent and help reduce waste across the supply chain.
Mindful Chef people & sustainability boss Sarah Thomas argued only 2% of her company’s pre-customer food becomes surplus – and 99% of that is redistributed to people in need by charity partner The Felix Project – but she said big gains can be made in helping farmers avoid waste.
“It’s on businesses to do more,” she argued, adding “we all have individual power to solve this problem”.
Thomas said even taking a van to its supplier farms and collecting surplus food for redistribution would be a positive move in the right direction.
The B Corps were out in force at the event, with frozen meals retailer Cook, snack brand Pip & Nut, and condiment company Dr. Will’s among the exhibitors showcasing their wares at the three-day event at Birmingham’s NEC.
Green Retail World had conversations with some companies, and businesses are concerned the new requirements to retain B Corp certification might be challenging to reach. However, there was acknowledgment that even by trying to meet the certification framework and failing, their business will have improved socially or environmentally.
On stage, Popcorn Kitchen founder Louise Webb spoke about wanting to be “small but mighty” in terms of her business’s advocacy for B Corp. She indicated she was keen to help her brand’s suppliers look into B Corp and work out how they can improve their sustainability credentials.
UK DRS
We sat in on a session discussing the UK deposit return scheme (DRS), which is scheduled to go live in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in October 2027.
Raymond Gianotten, interim operations leader at Exchange for Change, the organisation managing the DRS, said next week there will be an announcement about how much will be added to the price of products – i.e. the deposit.
That would mark the next step on the journey as Exchange for Change continues to engage with all DRS stakeholders to ensure smooth roll-out of the programme in 18 months’ time.
Coca Cola Europacific Partners strategic lead for DRS, Samantha Walker, said the “number one priority” is to get Wales involved in the UK scheme. It will be easier for shops and consumers if all parts of the UK are integrated into one DRS, she said – adding that success with DRS in the Republic of Ireland is proof consumers will respond positively and adapt quickly to buying drinks that include a returnable deposit.
“Communicate, communicate, communicate,” is the motto in terms of making the scheme a success in the UK, she noted.
[image credits Green Retail World]
