Labour Government Launches £15m Scheme to Tackle Food Waste and Support Charities

The UK Labour government has announced a £15 million scheme aimed at rescuing surplus food from farms and redistributing it to food banks, homeless shelters, and charities, particularly during the festive season. The funding, which was first promised by Michael Gove in 2018 and later reiterated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2024, has faced delays but will now be implemented following persistent calls from charities and renewed pressure this autumn.

The scheme will provide grants starting at £20,000 to not-for-profit food redistribution groups across England. These organisations will be able to invest in equipment to collect and process surplus produce, develop technological solutions to link farms with charities, and offer IT training for better food distribution. The initiative aims to tackle the estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food that is wasted or used for animal feed annually.

Labour’s Mary Creagh, Minister for the Circular Economy, emphasised the importance of the scheme during the festive period, a time when families gather to celebrate, but some go hungry. “Nobody wants to see good food go to waste—especially farmers, who work hard to put food on family tables,” she said. The funding is expected to make a timely impact, particularly for festive staples such as brussels sprouts and potatoes, which are in high demand during Christmas.

Charities and food organisations have welcomed the government’s support. Charlotte Hill, chief executive of The Felix Project, and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, head of FareShare, both praised the announcement. “We are thrilled to see this fund come to fruition,” they said in a joint statement. “It’s a great step towards addressing the issue of food waste on farms and ensuring that edible food reaches those who need it most.”

Harriet Lamb, chief executive of global environmental NGO Wrap, also welcomed the funding, noting that it provides an important boost to both food charities and the farming sector. “This fund gives a flying start to the new year, helping to develop immediate and long-term solutions for food waste,” she said.

The Labour government has committed to halving food waste by 2030. In the coming months, more details on the fund’s eligibility criteria will be released, and a broader strategy aimed at tackling food waste will be published by the newly formed “Circular Economy Taskforce.”

This move is seen as a significant step in addressing the twin challenges of food waste and food insecurity, especially during a time of economic uncertainty.