Fighting Food Waste in the UK

A decade of progress and the road ahead…

The scale and impact of food waste in the UK has prompted growing action from governments, businesses and charities alike. 

With around 10.7 million tonnes of food wasted annually, 70% of it from households, efforts since 2015 have focused on voluntary industry targets, public awareness campaigns and plans to standardise waste collection. 

Why does this matter? Frightening figures:

• Each year at least 1.3 billion metric tons of food is wasted globally.
• If food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd highest Greenhouse Gas emitter, behind only the U.S. and China.
• 60-80% of biodiversity loss is caused by food-related agriculture.
• UN projections are that global demand for fresh water will exceed supply by 40% by 2030.
• 50 million chickens are wasted in the UK each year
• An average UK family spends £470 on food which is binned, not eaten
• One third of all food produced across the globe is lost or wasted 
• 100 million pints of milk  are tipped down the drain each year in the UK
• 240,000 tonnes of food is wasted by UK supermarkets every year 

The timeline below highlights key developments in UK food waste policy and practice over the past decade, outlined in the 2024 House of Commons Library Research Briefing: Food Waste in the UK.

UK Food Waste Timeline: 2015–2025

2015

• UN sets goal to halve global food waste by 2030 (SDG 12.3).

2018

• UK’s Resources and Waste Strategy calls for stronger food waste action.

2021

• UK throws away 10.7 million tonnes of food – households cause 60%.
• Courtauld 2030 updates targets to match UN goals.

2022

• Surplus food redistribution hits 170,000 tonnes (up 133% from 2019).
• Government considers mandatory food waste reporting.

2023

• Ministers U-turn on rejecting food waste reporting after legal pressure.
• WRAP finds most people confused by food date labels.
• Wales bans sending food waste to landfill/incineration (from April 2024).

2024

• PM pledges £15m to boost food redistribution.
• Scotland consults on reporting rules.
• Wales makes food waste separation law for businesses.

2025

• March: All businesses in England must separate food waste.
• Scotland targets 33% food waste cut per person by year-end.

Coming in 2026

• Weekly food waste collections required for all English households.

You can read the full briefing here.

Food waste is a major contributor to climate change, biodiversity loss and social inequality. While UK policy has made important strides over the past decade, from voluntary targets to legal mandates, the scale of the problem demands sustained and coordinated action. With changes on the horizon, the challenge of delivering effective food waste collection in high-density settings is now front and centre.

Looking towards 2026:

By April 2026, all local authorities in England will be legally required to provide weekly food waste collections for every household, including flats and other high-density residential settings. This key milestone in DEFRA’s Simpler Recycling reforms is designed to standardise services across the country and drive up recycling rates—but delivering it will be no small task.

To succeed, implementation will require coordinated efforts between local authorities, housing providers and waste infrastructure specialists. Housing teams in particular will have a vital role to play in ensuring their stock is ready, whether by installing secure external bin housings, improving waste storage and access, or supporting resident engagement.

metroSTOR are already working with local authorities and housing partners to develop practical, cost-effective solutions that meet the specific needs of flat-based communities. 

Purpose-Built Infrastructure

Dedicated infrastructure plays a critical role in enabling resident participation in food waste recycling and reducing contamination. As local authorities move towards mandatory separate food waste collections, the right infrastructure really will be make or break, particularly in high-density and flatted housing.

metroSTOR’s Food Waste Bin Housing have emerged as a practical solution, used by councils across the UK to improve capture rates and hygiene standards in communal settings where traditional food caddies are not viable.

Designed for outdoor use, the units offer secure, enclosed storage for 140L to 360L wheeled bins, with the option of a foot-pedal operated lid for touch-free operation. This helps overcome a common barrier to food waste recycling; unpleasant handling. It ensures the container remains closed to contain odours. Where required, access control systems such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) locks can be added to reduce misuse and contamination.

Several councils have adopted these units as part of larger environmental and regeneration strategies. In Brent, nine units were installed at South Kilburn Estate as part of the borough’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Delivery Plan, while Lambeth used 35 units across four estates in partnership with ReLondon. The 13-month pilot resulted in a 45% reduction in food waste in the residual waste stream and a 152% increase in overall recycling rates.

Elsewhere, Fife Council deployed the food waste units at Ravenscraig in Kirkcaldy, supported by bespoke behavioural signage developed with behavioural expert, Livvy Drake with Sustainable Sidekicks. Inspired by the Lambeth pilot, this project reinforced the importance of intuitive design and visual cues in changing resident behaviour. In Newport and Ealing, units were introduced as part of wider refuse chute decommissioning and fire safety works, supporting Welsh and English policy goals to shift waste management outdoors and improve environmental performance in multi-storey housing.

Could this be a solution for your community?

With separate food waste collections now a legal requirement for many businesses and on the horizon for households, the need for effective infrastructure is clear. metroSTOR food waste units are already helping local authorities meet policy goals and engage residents in high-density settings. If your organisation is planning improvements, now is the time to explore practical, proven solutions.