FDF's Environmental Ambition: Progress Report 2019
2019 has been an exciting year for environmental policy and the sustainability
agenda, not least
because the UK became the first major economy to enshrine a Net Zero emissions
target into law.
Unabated public and political interest in packaging has continued. Government
published four
consultations linked to reforming the packaging producer responsibility system
and aimed at
promoting a more circular economy. Food waste has also been in the policy
spotlight, with the launch
of the Government's Step up to the Plate initiative and the first progress
report for the UK Food
Waste Reduction Roadmap showing a significant increase in business commitment.
Food and drink
manufacturers also made a significant contribution to the progress recorded in
the first Courtauld
2025 milestone report.
Since last year, FDF members have reported a further reduction in CO2 emissions,
down 53.2%
since 1990, and a reduction in water consumption, down 38.5% since 2008. FDF
and
our members
have demonstrated progress under industry initiatives, including the UK Food
Waste Reduction
Roadmap and Courtauld 2025, and FDF signed the Step up to the Plate Pledge. Our
members
continue to engage with the UK Plastics Pact and are contributing to a breadth
of other actions to
tackle plastic waste.
Even with this progress, the global food system still faces unprecedented
pressures over the
coming decades. These will require a transformation in the way we do business
at
all levels – from
the ingredients we source and products we make, to how they are packaged and
transported. We
anticipate energy policy will be a priority for 2020 as we work to shape future
policies aligned with
meeting the Net Zero emissions target for 2050. FDF will undertake a mid-term
review of Ambition
2025 in 2020 to ensure it reflects changes in the regulatory and political
landscape. We look forward
to embracing this opportunity with our members, who continue to show dedication
to achieving
sustainability goals.
Case Studies
Last reviewed: 21 Jan 2020