Waitrose boosts FareShare partnership after ‘best ever’ year for food donation

Waitrose achieved its “best ever year” for surplus food donation in 2024, and plans to ramp up its partnership with FareShare.

The supermarket redistributed 2,561 tonnes of good-to-eat food through the partnership during the year, equivalent to 6,097,210 meals.

Waitrose released the updated figures to mark its participation in Wrap’s Food Waste Action Week, which is running until 23 March.

Having reached the “milestone” of donating more than 25 million meals since through FareShare since 2017, Waitrose will now “enhance” the way it works with the platform, as it chases a target of halving food waste across its supply chain by 2030, in line with targets set by Wrap.

It builds on Waitrose’s work as a member of the King’s Coronation Food Project, where it partnered with own label pasta supplier Daybreak to identify surplus pasta. The pair aim to donate the equivalent of 130 tonnes of surplus per year through the initiative.

Waitrose has also begun working with more suppliers to identify “food waste hotspots” across its supply chain. It will then work to redistribute any surplus to food charities.

“Not only are we incredibly proud that our partnership with FareShare has helped drive down food waste, but we’re pleased to be able to support those in our communities who need help and need access to nutritious food,” said Marija Rompani, John Lewis Partnership director of ethics & sustainability.

“Twenty-five million meals is a huge milestone and we can’t wait to see it go further.”

FareShare director of food Simon Millard said: “We’re incredibly grateful for our partnership with Waitrose. Their support has enabled us to provide 25 million meals worth of good-to-eat surplus food to our network of 8,000 charities across the UK.

“These charities, from afterschool and breakfast clubs to hospices and homelessness shelters, transform meals into support, strengthening communities and changing lives across the UK. Thank you to everyone at Waitrose for reaching this milestone.”