Hospitality businesses challenged to combat food waste

Food waste toolkit launched as part of Highland Community Waste Partnership

Hospitality Businesses across the Highlands are being urged to access free information to help them reduce food waste and save money. At a time when everyone is facing a climate and nature emergency and a cost-of-living crisis the food waste challenge and supporting toolkit couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.

The Highland Good Food Partnership, one of the eight implementing partners in the Highland Community Waste Partnership, that we coordinate, is working with Zero Waste Scotland to roll out a food waste toolkit, which aims to raise awareness in the sector about food waste, highlight the money-saving aspects possible when reducing waste as well as the environmental benefits and helps businesses create an action plan for reducing both waste and the associated costs. 

Emma Harrison, of Visit Inverness Loch Ness has been sharing the toolkit with members of a culinary working group, she said, “In Scotland alone we’re wasting around 988,000 tonnes of food and drink every year.  So it is important that we work hard to reduce this.  Our trial of the toolkit has helped us to support members of Visit Inverness Loch Ness to make informed choices of food management across the destination.  Chefs in the area are very interested in the project, and it is with hope the toolkit is popular amongst many, many more in the area.”

Reina Edmiston, Highland Good Food Partnership, one of the implementing partners of the Highland Community Waste Partnership commented, “This toolkit could really help businesses during the cost-of-living crisis with the added bonus of helping the planet.”

Gerry Boyle, of Zero Waste Scotland said, “The Zero Waste Scotland Business Food Waste Toolkit is aimed at organisations who are looking to reduce their food waste and have a positive impact on their bottom line.   We are pleased that this simple four-step toolkit is being shared with those in the Highlands through this collaborative partnership and urge people to check it out and take advantage of tailored support available.”

Georgina Massouraki, our Highland Community Waste Partnership Coordinator, commented: “Businesses have a key role to play in reducing the impact of food waste on our environment and our communities, which is why the Highland Community Waste Partnership welcomes this new Toolkit. We are delighted that Highland businesses will have the opportunity to engage with, and benefit from, the toolkit and we look forward to continuing to promote and support it through the Partnership.”

Find out more about the programme and how you can get involved on the Food Waste Toolkit web page.