11 October 2015
Thanks to the work of a Norwich Green Party member, it is now national Green Party policy that large retailers should be required to hand over surplus food to charitable groups if requested, in order to reduce food waste.
22-year-old UEA graduate Rowan van Tromp took his motion on food waste to the Green Party conference in Bournemouth, where he made a speech highlighting the importance of the campaign against food waste. The motion was then taken to the floor and voted through with an overwhelming majority.
The policy would force large retailers to follow the ‘food waste pyramid’: surplus food would be offered for human consumption, then any that is uncollected or unfit for people would be offered as animal feed, then for fuel or composting. It would also be unlawful for any retailer to refuse fresh produce based purely on cosmetic standards.
Rowan, who is a Hub Leader for Norwich FoodCycle – a national charity committed to reducing food waste, food poverty and social isolation – said: “I was really pleased to take my motion to party conference and see it voted through. To be able to propose a motion that then becomes party policy if members support it – that’s real democracy in action.
“Food waste represents a scandalous waste of water, land and energy, alongside the production of unnecessary carbon emissions. That makes it a massive environmental problem that we need to overcome. As someone who cares deeply about the type of world future generations will be inheriting, it is important that I seek to make a difference where I can, and this was an area I could make a contribution.”
15 million tonnes of food end up in landfill every year in the UK – equivalent to one-third of all food that is bought – while overall waste in the supply chain (including retail) is estimated at 4.1m tonnes.
The Soil Association has estimated that 20% to 40% of UK fruit and vegetables are routinely rejected before reaching shops because they are misshapen or discoloured.
