The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) did a study on food losses and waste in South Africa and found that 10.3-million tonnes a year of edible food gets wasted. On 16 October 2022 we marked World Food Day and Woolworths reflected on the fundamental need for everyone, everywhere, to have regular access to sufficient and nutritious food.
The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s theme, ‘Leave NO ONE Behind,’ speaks to this. It highlights how the ongoing pandemic, climate change, rising inflation and increasing pressure on customers’ wallets are affecting global food security.
The CSIR study further reveals that within the food chain, 68% of waste happens in the early stages of production, with 19% happening during post-harvest handling and storage, and 49% occurring during processing and packaging. Half the overall loss and waste comes from cereals, followed by fruit and vegetables at 19%, milk at 14% and meat at 9%.
Millions of tonnes of edible food do not reach people’s stomachs every year, in a country that struggles with food insecurity at household level and the threat of food hunger.
Focused with quality and sustainability, Woolworths believes food security is a fundamental human right. The retailer is aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 of #ZeroHunger by 2030. “46 Woolies food suppliers have signed up for the voluntary agreement and are committed to reducing food waste within their operations.”
“26 of these are our top suppliers, which equates to nearly to 60% of our Woolies food production,” says Latiefa Behardien, Woolworths Foods Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer. To ensure that food is not wasted, Woolworths gives surplus food to charity. Edible food, i.e. food that is still within its “use by” date and fit for human consumption.
In the last year, over R786 million worth of surplus food was donated directly from Woolworths stores to over 1400 charitable organisations across the country.
