British retailer The Co-op has committed to reducing food waste by calling on local authorities to accelerate the introduction of food waste collections from homes.
According to a UK charity and campaign body WRAP, around 1,000t of food waste ends up in landfill daily, which rots and produces methane gas.
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It believes that the food waste can be composted, or used to create energy reducing greenhouse emissions.
Co-op is also running a campaign with the hope of eliminating 1.75 billion single-use plastic bags, which can be replaced with compostable-friendly alternatives.
The retail chain is also planning to write a letter to all local authorities, who are not taking any initiative to collect food waste.
Co-op noted that 156 English councils do not have a kerbside food waste collection, and 12% of the 169 local authorities who collect food waste, do not accept compostable bags.
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By GlobalDataThe retailer has already asked 20 of these local authorities to join the commitment. It believes the support from the authorities will help stop the production of an estimated 60 million plastic bags.
Co-op chief commercial officer Michael Fletcher said: “How we do business really matters. The world is experiencing a climate crisis and we need to work together to avoid it. Accelerating action is the only way to mitigate and reduce impacts on our natural world, and to ensure stable food supply chains in the future.
“We are committed in helping our members and customers to make environmentally-friendly choices and reducing the environmental impact of products is and always has been at the core of Co-op.
“That’s why we are writing to local authorities to encourage universal kerbside food waste collections and acceptance of compostable bags, sooner than 2023.”
The retailer is currently offering compostable bags through more than 1,000 stores to communities, where authorities are accepting them in the household food waste collections.
