Daniel Zeichner says his government must tackle food poverty

Article written by Louise Chesire for Fresh Produce Journal on the 14th August 2024

Daniel Zeichner, the Minister of State for Defra, praised FareShare’s commitment to fighting food waste during a visit to FareShare South West’s warehouse in Bristol this week.

Zeichner met with the organisation’s CEO George Wright, as well as the volunteers and staff at the warehouse who help store, package and deliver surplus food to charities in Bristol and beyond.

FareShare works with the food industry, including retailers, wholesalers and producers, to redistribute good-to-eat surplus food to over 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK.

Commenting on his visit, Zeichner said: “FareShare’s efforts to stop surplus food going to waste, and getting it to the people who need it most across the UK, is an encouraging glimpse of a more sustainable food sector.

“But we cannot rely on charity to address food poverty, and I’m proud to be part of a government that is developing an ambitious strategy to reduce poverty and tackle inequality.”

While FareShare works with hundreds of businesses to get more food to people who need it, the equivalent of 7 billion meals worth of food still goes to waste across the food industry every year, the organisation says.

FareShare is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and recently launched its manifesto, “Where’s the Food? Strengthening Communities Through Surplus Food Redistribution.” In it, the charity calls on the new government to make it easier for businesses to donate surplus food.

FareShare’s manifesto sets out plans that, if implemented, would significantly reduce food waste, support communities in need, and foster a more sustainable food system. The manifesto also calls on the government to develop a UK-wide plan to end charitable food aid and address the economic and structural factors behind poverty.

FareShare CEO Wright said: “In recent weeks, Defra has highlighted its commitment to achieving a zero waste Britain and adopting a circular economy. We welcome this vision from the department and were pleased to meet with the Minister, who has steadfastly advocated for a sustainable British food industry.

”We look forward to collaborating with the new government to transform the issue of food waste into a positive social impact.”