Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of large food businesses in England reporting food waste data voluntarily through WRAP's Food and Drink Pact; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a public reporting requirement.

The Government recognises the importance of improving food waste data to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency. Defra has not separately estimated the proportion of large food businesses in England that voluntarily report food waste data through WRAP’s Food and Drink Pact. However, WRAP reports that 364 food and drink businesses have committed to the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap and 191 large businesses have evidenced implementation of food waste reduction measures.

Defra engages with industry on policy options to improve reporting and data quality and mandatory food waste reporting remains one of several options under consideration.