Wholesaler Mark Murphy Dole has reduced its food waste by 33% in six months after taking part in a new project with the Scottish Wholesale Association.
The Edinburgh-based business collected historical and current data to identify potential for food waste reduction. It then created a plan to tackle it using the SWA’s Zero Waste Scotland one-month challenge guidelines as a starting point.
The data audit revealed that the business was sending 1.62 tonnes per month in fresh produce to waste, the equivalent of almost 20 tonnes per year.
It also found evidence of food products being thrown in general bins, meaning the real food waste generated by the company was 10% higher than initially thought.
Acting on the audit recommendations by the SWA, the wholesaler focused on key areas including training and staff engagement, waste bins, and introducing a Green Champion programme open to employees.
The recycling rate improved by 5% after the review, and contamination in general waste dropped by 32%.
Mark Murphy Dole also concluded the improved system would result in estimated savings of up to £61,000 per year.
“Thanks to a combination of interventions, from new practises to monitor and reduce food waste, to the efforts to change culture and attitudes in the organisation, Mark Murphy Dole has reduced food waste by 33% from 2023 to 2024”, said SWA head of sustainability and engagement Ylva Haglund.
“These fantastic results show what’s possible when a business commits to measuring and monitoring their waste, and looks to tackle it in a holistic way, making sure that all relevant policies and processes help promote food waste reduction.
“From a wider wholesale perspective there is an opportunity for the sector to be a force for good on food waste. Thanks to their position in the middle of the supply chain, wholesalers like Mark Murphy Dole are in a unique position to instigate change to reduce food waste across the food and drink industry”, she added.
Mark Murphy Dole technical co-ordinator Cora Allen added: “Even with procedures in place to reduce food waste, we found that if efforts are not made to shift the culture to match, then the effectiveness of these procedures will be limited.”
“Training and staff engagement helped us change this, and its effects are not limited to the workplace. Our Green Champions report that following training, they started to consider ways to reduce food waste in their homes too.”
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