Supermarkets should be cutting food waste, not relying on charities

Retailers' work with charities is barely denting the waste problem and leaves the biggest problems untouched

As public outrage over food waste grows, almost every British supermarket has responded to consumer pressure and linked up with food redistribution organisations such as FareShare and Foodcycle.

But while good practice is emerging, supermarkets' work with charities is barely denting the waste problem. Fareshare, for example, estimates it accesses just 2% of supermarkets' available food surplus.