FareShare South West, an independent part of the FareShare UK network, is the largest food redistribution charity in the region, and works with front-line charities, schools and community groups to ensure surplus food reaches those that need it most in our communities. Every year, 250,000 tonnes of food processed, packaged and ready-to-eat is wasted by producers, manufacturers and retailers in the UK supply chain for reasons ranging from inaccurate demand forecasting, packaging errors, damage in transit or retailer rejections. FareShare South West provides a flexible and easy way of working together to ensure good quality surplus food never reaches a bin.

As a charity, FareShare South West supports any initiatives by food suppliers to reduce wastage. Recently, the supermarket chain Morrisons announced 90% of their own brand milk will no longer include a 'Use By' date. Milk is the third most waster product in the UK, and predicts this adaptation will save millions of their own pints of milk being discarded each year.

Ben Evans is the Food and Logistics Manager,

"At FareShare South West, we celebrate any news that food companies have changed their processes to reduce food waste. We and FareShare UK want to see more food following the food waste hierarchy and going to feed people first, before going to animal feed, anaerobic digestion or worst of all, landfill. We are encouraging more South West food companies to ‘do the right thing’ with surplus food - whether that is changing guidelines in store, or giving their in-date, large scale surplus to us at FareShare South West."

To talk to FareShare South West about sustainable solutions to your surplus food, email Ben Evans direct on ben.evans@faresharesouthwest.org.uk