URGENT action is needed in the UK and Europe to reduce food waste.

The House of Lords EU Committee said at least 90 million tonnes of food is wasted across the EU each year – including 15 million, representing a loss to business of £5bn, in the UK.

Environmentally, the carbon footprint of worldwide food waste is equivalent to twice the global greenhouse gas emissions of all road transport in the USA.

Reporting on its findings, the committee said that efforts across the EU to reduce food waste were “fragmented and untargeted” and called on the new European Commission, which will be established in November, to publish a fiveyear strategy on preventing food waste within six months of taking office.

The report also called for retailers – particularly supermarkets – to act more responsibly in limiting food waste by farmers and consumers.

The committee particularly wants supermarkets to stop “buy one, get one free” incentives which can result in more food waste at home.

They should also stop cancelling ordered food that has already been grown – to avoid perfectly edible food being ploughed into fields or left unharvested.

Millions of tonnes of food is believed to be wasted in this way each year.

The committee also called for Government action to encourage retailers to redistribute unsold food, where safe, for human and animal consumption, rather than recycling it via anaerobic digestion.

It suggested VAT rates could be amended and tax breaks offered to encourage supermarkets to donate edible unsold food to food banks.

The report welcomed the review of legislation regarding the feeding of food waste to animals.

However, it said the transfer of human food waste to animals should only take place if scientific evidence found it safe to do so.

Baroness Scott, of Needham Market, chairman of the committee, said food waste was a huge issue.

“Not only is it morally repugnant, but it has serious economic and environmental implications,”

she said, “The fact that 90 million tonnes of food is wasted across the EU each year shows the extent of the problem and explains why we are calling for urgent action.

“Globally, consumers in industrialised nations waste up to 222 million tonnes of food a year, which is equivalent to nearly the entire level of net food production of sub-Saharan Africa.”

She said: “We were shocked at the extent of food waste in the EU. Especially given the current economic challenges the EU faces, it is an absolutely shocking waste of resources.

“Some efforts are already being made, which is very positive, but much more can be done, and so we are calling on the EU, the Government, businesses and consumers to make sure it is.”

Other recommendations in the report included using technology, such as smart packaging, that accurately reflects the edibility of food rather than arbitrary use-by dates which err on the side of caution. The committee said the EU must ensure its food packaging Directive does not unintentionally lead to more food waste.