Scottish wholesaler Mark Murphy Dole embarked on the six-month project in collaboration with the Scottish Wholesale Association and Zero Waste Scotland in autumn 2023, focusing on four steps to tackling food waste: assessing its existing food waste data; measuring its food waste; analysing the findings; and developing a plan of action. The project used Zero Waste Scotland’s One Month Challenge guidelines as a starting point (www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/one-month-challenge).
Despite making up only 0.2% of the total food passing through the depot, findings revealed an unexpected savings opportunity as the amount of food waste within the business over one month measured 1.62 tonnes – the equivalent to 19.5 tonnes per year, identifying savings of £11,877 in disposal costs alone. The true cost of this food waste was estimated to be £61,000 per year to the business.
Acting on recommendations, Mark Murphy Dole focused on improving food waste measurement, introducing staff communication, training and engagement, and updating food waste processes and procedures. Thanks to a combination of interventions in these areas, Mark Murphy Dole reduced food waste by 33% from 2023 to 2024.
The project showed organisational culture to be key to food waste reduction. Even with procedures in place to reduce food waste, Mark Murphy Dole found that if efforts were not made to shift the culture to match, then the effectiveness of these new procedures were limited.
Name of organisation : Scottish Wholesale Association
Contact email: ylva@scottishwholesale.co.uk
Further information: https://www.scottishwholesale.co.uk/services/sustainability/
Date of publication: 2024-10-14
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