Taking the form of an ‘online impact programme’, the SRA’s Food Waste: Bad Taste scheme has been designed to help the foodservice industry accelerate change through a hands-on, six-week step-by-step guide.
It comes as pressure continues to mount on the sector to halve food waste by 2030 in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
A recent SRA insight report revealed that while there are pockets of good practice, the industry as a whole needs to be moving much further and faster on this issue.
The report states that 10% of SRA members still fail to separate food waste, a third don’t offer customers the chance to take home leftovers, and half have not yet introduced reduction targets.
“No one needs reminding of the scandalous scale of food waste,” says Juliane Caillouette-Noble, development director at the SRA.
“What’s important is that we as an industry stand up and mean it when we say food is too good to waste.”
The first group of businesses participating in the programme includes the OXO Tower Restaurant.
Jeremy Bloor, executive head chef at OXO Tower, says waste can often be caused by chefs trying to create the perfect dish.
“We are looking to create a spark from this initiative and inspire a new generation of chefs to think about the impact [food waste] has on our environment.”
Last week it was announced by The Crown Estate that 11 restaurants from across Regent Street and St James’s – including Brasserie Zedel, Angela Hartnett’s Café Murano and Hawksmoor Air Street – had collectively committed to reducing food waste by 25% in the next year as part of a Food Waste Pledge launched in partnership with the SRA.
Operators who wish to find out more about the programme and how to tackle food waste can click here.
