Written question asked by Kim Johnson (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 16 July 2026. It was answered by Mary Creagh (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Food: Waste

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the cost of living.

Answer: As part of a transition to a circular economy, Defra wants to help businesses reduce food waste and improve efficiency. Through the No10-led Food Waste Endeavour, we are working with food businesses and technology providers to understand how UK companies are using AI technologies to drive reductions in food waste and deliver savings for businesses and how government can best support these data driven solutions. No recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the cost of living.

Secondary information