UK Dairy Industry Helps Consumers Cut Food Waste

Responding to new figures published today by the Waste and Resources Action Plan (WRAP) on food waste in Scotland, Dairy UK Environment Manager Fergus McReynolds said: “Our industry is committed to helping consumers reduce food waste and improve their environmental footprint.

“Dairy products are among Scotland’s favourite foods, and are found in 97% of the nation’s fridges. Milk has a central place in a healthy diet and last year, Scots bought an estimated 500 million litres of it – only 6% of which appears not to have been consumed. That compares with over 30% for all food and I am in no doubt that this is due to the efforts made over the past decade by the dairy industry. 

“Dairy companies and farmers have improved the quality of milk so that its shelf life has almost doubled to more than seven days. Meanwhile, innovation in pasteurisation techniques and packaging means that shoppers can buy milk in a format that suits them best. 

“Nor are we complacent. Dairy UK and its members are also working closely with WRAP to advise consumers on storing and using milk and dairy products. We are supporting WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste website, and are reviewing on-pack storage advice. 

“But cutting food waste is only one part of the picture. The dairy industry‘s Milk Roadmap sets out a much wider series of environmental targets for the next 12 years. By 2015, almost no waste will be sent to landfill by dairies, 10% of non-transport energy will come from renewable sources and, by 2020, half the plastic in every milk bottle will be recycled.”