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Food Waste

Food Waste

30th June 2025

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (also known as WRAP) reported that globally, we waste over 1 billion tonnes of food – a fifth of all food available to consumers, retail markets and foodservice, on an annual basis.1 This is in addition to food lost in the supply chain.2

For the foodservice industry, it’s estimated that £2 trillion is lost from restaurants globally due to food waste3, meaning a huge financial impact for a sector already under financial pressure.

UK Foodservice

Looking closely at the UK, food waste remains a large concern. Business Waste report that food waste from restaurants alone could be worth £682 million.4 An estimated 10% of food bought by restaurants never reaches customers.5 But it’s not just food. Foodservice businesses also experience additional waste from paper receipts, textile waste (damaged tableware and uniforms) as well as glass and plastics.

But, there is positive news. WRAP’s Food Waste Reduction Roadmap saw a 10% increase in 2024 of food and drink businesses committed to taking positive action, and working towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 (SDG12.3), ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.6

The UK government has also introduced new waste laws. From March of this year (2025), businesses are required to separate food waste from other waste streams like recyclable materials. All businesses must comply, even if they don’t serve food or have a kitchen.7

With food, and hospitality waste impacting the environment as well as the economy, how can chefs and operators combat this challenge. The answer lies in small changes, with big impact!

Tips on Reducing Waste

  • Monitoring portion size. On average, 17% of food served to diners in the UK is left uneaten.8 For businesses who routinely see this wastage, it could be a good idea to modify sizing to reduce this waste.
  • Use seasonal produce.
  • Ensuring food and fresh ingredients are stored correctly. Tightly wrapping prepped food and storing ingredients in the fridge or freezer to help preserve them can help to reduce unnecessary food waste.
  • Reduce wasted wrap usage. With 92% of chefs agreeing that cling film is an essential tool in the kitchen9, it plays an important role in preserving food and extending shelf life.
  • Traditional cardboard cutter boxes can contribute to waste too, with tangled, badly cut wrap and damaged packaging. Swapping to a Wrapmaster® dispenser can help alleviate this waste.
  • Use recyclable and compostable alternatives food wraps, and other equipment where possible!
  • Signing up to services like Too Good To Go or Karma. Hospitality businesses can discount goods for consumers, to help minimise food waste before end of day.

The Wrapmaster® Waste Reduction Calculator

Wrapmaster®’s newly released Waste Reduction Calculator is an easy-to-use tool designed for chefs, caterers, and foodservice professionals looking to improve efficiency, reduce waste, as well as enhance sustainability in their kitchens. By simply entering your current usage of cling film, foil, or baking parchment, users can instantly see how much wrap they could save if they switched to an award-winning Wrapmaster® dispenser.

Try it today: https://www.wrapmaster.global/en/waste-reduction-calculator/.

1WRAP, Global Avtion Drive for Food Loss and Waste Reduction, November 2024, https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/report/global-action-drive-food-loss-and-waste-reduction
2As above.
3Business Waste, May 2024, https://www.businesswaste.co.uk/sectors/restaurant-waste/restaurant-waste-statistics/
4As above.
5As above.
6WRAP, Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, Progress Update, 2024, https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/report/food-waste-reduction-roadmap-progress-update-2024
7Gov.UK
8Business Waste, May 2024, https://www.businesswaste.co.uk/sectors/restaurant-waste/restaurant-waste-statistics/
9Wrapmaster® Independent Research, Census Wide, UK, 100 Participants, April 2025

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