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The Business of Recycling Northern Ireland. WRAP Northern Ireland
Guidance for Commercial and Industrial
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Why your Commercial and Industrial sector needs to recycle

The benefits of reducing food waste in Commercial and Industrial settings

Estimated reading time: 4 min

Reducing food waste can decrease general waste and save your organisation money.

Guardians of Grub provides food service businesses with the knowledge and resources to set a reduction target, measure food loss and waste and take steps to reduce it. Read our case studies to learn how such organisations have implemented changes to reduce their food and drink waste. Our quick-start Action List will also help you reduce food waste.

The Food Waste Reduction Roadmap is the leading free access initiative for UK food businesses, developed by industry in collaboration with WRAP and the IGD. Guidance is provided for specific sectors such as food retail operations and the hospitality and food service sector.

Food and drink material hierarchy

Similar to the waste hierarchy, which all businesses and organisations have a duty to follow, WRAP’s food and drink material hierarchy encourages waste prevention at source, with disposal as a last resort.

A diagram detailing the food and drink waste hierarchy, demonstrating that waste prevention, redistribution of food to people, then animals should be favoured ahead of recycling food waste.

If food and drink waste cannot be prevented, this hierarchy prioritises the redistribution of edible food to people first, and to then be used in animal feed, ahead of recycling or composting food waste.

By following this hierarchy, you will be able to:

  • minimise the environmental impact of your organisation’s food and drink waste

  • maximise the value of food and drink surplus, e.g. by reselling or donating to charity

  • reduce associated waste, e.g. packaging from food goods and products.

Food redistribution

Did you know it’s safe to redistribute edible food, unless its past its use-by date!

You’ll find all the information you need to help increase the amount of surplus food your organisation redistributes at WRAP’s Surplus Food Redistribution Resource Hub.