5 ways Bristol businesses can reduce food waste
Food waste is a significant issue in the UK, with an estimated 1.1 million tonnes of food wasted annually – costing approximately £3.2 billion each year.
For businesses in Bristol, addressing food waste is not only a financial opportunity but also a step towards the City’s sustainability goals and community support.
Here are 5 ways your business can reduce food waste in Bristol using local and national resources.
1) Measure your waste
Join WRAP’s Guardians of Grub Campaign
WRAP’s Guardians of Grub campaign offers businesses that produce food with practical tools to reduce food waste at every stage, including:
- A food waste savings calculator that you can use to see exactly how much your business wastes and identify savings opportunities
- A framework for setting targets, measuring and implementing practical changes
- Training resources to educate staff on how to reduce food waste effectively
By joining, you’re aligning your business with a trusted, government-backed initiative and embedding a waste reduction culture into your business and daily operations.
2) Commit publicly to cut food waste
Sign the UK Food and Drink Waste Reduction Roadmap
The UK Food Waste Reduction Roadmap helps businesses that sell/produce food with tools to:
- Measure and report food waste
- Implement a series of reduction strategies that will support your business and Bristol to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030
Signing up signals to customers, staff, and stakeholders that your business takes sustainability seriously and is part of a national effort to reduce food waste.
3) Don’t throw away good food, donate it!
Donate surplus food to FareShare South West
FareShare South West redistributes surplus food to charities, schools, and community groups across the region. Donating will benefit your business with:
- Reducing disposal costs
- Supporting vulnerable communities in Bristol
- Enhancing your profile within Bristol
Through FareShare, businesses contribute directly to fighting food poverty locally, turning potential waste into valuable resources for those in need.
4) Turn surplus meals into profit
Partner with Too Good To Go
If you can’t donate, then join up with The Too Good To Go app, which connects businesses with local consumers to sell unsold food at a discounted price. In 2022, it saved over 29 million meals in the UK.
Benefits include:
- Reduce food waste before it leaves your kitchen
- Attract new, sustainability-conscious customers
- Boost your brand reputation as a responsible business
This simple digital solution transforms surplus food from a cost into an opportunity.
5) Recycle unavoidable food waste locally and with purpose
Even the best planning can’t prevent all food waste, and in line with the new recycling regulations, all businesses need to recycle food waste somewhere.
Bristol Waste collects food waste from businesses in Bristol and processes it through anaerobic digestion, producing:
- Biogas that powers local homes (2000 homes in Bristol)
- Nutrient-rich fertiliser for agriculture
Bristol Waste is also part of the Bristol Good Food 2030 working group, helping shape the Bristol One City plan to reduce food waste, improve sustainable sourcing, and strengthen Bristol’s local food system.
Most importantly, unlike other regional and national suppliers, Bristol Waste doesn’t have private shareholders. All profits are reinvested back into vital city services and the communities in Bristol.
Recap
- Measure and reduce your waste with tools like those from WRAP
- Commit to reducing food waste by signing up to the UK Food and Drink Waste Reduction Roadmap
- Don’t throw away good food, donate to FareShare
- Earn extra revenue with Too Good To Go
- Make food waste count and use a local provider that gives back to Bristol
Reducing food waste in Bristol isn’t just good for the planet – it’s good for business. By taking the above steps, your business can not only save money but also strengthen your local reputation and contribute to helping Bristol waste nothing.
