Less waste produced by the retail sector, such as printed labels, packaging and food, is being sent to landfill, a new report has revealed.
According to figures from Wrap, which advises the government on waste disposal, about 6.6 million tonnes of waste is generated by the retail supply chain in Britain each year.
The organisation noted that there has been a "pronounced diversion of waste away from landfill" since 2009 - a trend it described as "extremely encouraging".
However, Wrap suggested that the retail industry is falling short as this does not satisfy the terms of the Courtauld target - a deal designed to "drive waste prevention behaviour".
The organisation added that food, drink and packaging waste produced by grocery retailers in the UK costs the country about £5 billion per annum.
This coincides with a report from the British Retail Consortium, which indicates that a growing number of businesses in the sector are recognising the reputational, financial and environmental benefits of cutting waste.
Denny Bros Ltd, 01 February 2012
