UK supermarkets could be throwing away around 100,000 tonnes of edible food each year, representing an estimated £316m in lost food value, new analysis suggests.

Bins.co.uk said the discarded food would be equivalent to more than 238 million meals, based on WRAP’s standard meal-equivalent calculation of 420g.

That amounts to around 3.4 meals for every person in the UK, using the latest available population estimate of approximately 69.3 million.

Supermarket food waste valued at £316m

A previously published report estimates that UK supermarkets generate around 240,000 tonnes of food waste annually, including approximately 100,000 tonnes that could have been eaten.

The research combined this estimate with WRAP data indicating that around 234,000 tonnes of retail food waste carries a value of approximately £740m.

This produces an average retail value of about £3,162 per tonne. Applying that figure to the estimated 100,000 tonnes of edible waste gives a potential food value of £316.2m, or roughly £1.33 for each meal equivalent.

However, the research acknowledges that not all of the estimated edible waste could necessarily be redistributed.

Some products may be damaged, past their use-by date, unsafe to consume or otherwise unsuitable for donation.

Calls for mandatory donation arrangements

Current government guidance advises businesses to prevent surplus food from being created and to distribute any remaining safe food to charities, schools, food banks or commercial redistribution organisations where possible.

However, retailers are not legally required to follow the guidance.

The report argues that supermarkets should be required to establish formal arrangements with approved charities or redistribution partners.

In the proposed strategy, retailers would also record the amount of edible surplus they generate and explain why products were disposed of rather than redistributed.

Any new rules would need to include strict food-safety protections, with products past their use-by date or otherwise unsafe excluded from donation.

Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning