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Courtauld Commitment 2 targets and signatories unveiled

04 March 2010

The eagerly awaited targets that form the second phase of the Courtauld Commitment [1] are being announced today (4 March).

Using 2009 data and working to a 2012 deadline, Courtauld Commitment 2 moves away from solely weight-based targets and aims to achieve more sustainable use of resources over the entire lifecycle of products, throughout the whole supply chain. 

The three new targets are: 

  • Packaging – to reduce the weight, increase recycling rates and increase the recycled content of all grocery packaging, as appropriate.  Through these measures the aim is to reduce the carbon impact of this grocery packaging by 10%.
  • Household food and waste – to reduce UK household food and drink wastes by 4%.
  • Supply chain product and packaging waste – to reduce traditional grocery product and packaging waste in the grocery supply chain by 5% - this includes both solid and liquid wastes.

29 major retailers and brand owners have already signed up to Courtauld Commitment 2 to help WRAP deliver the targets (please refer to later list of signatories).

The announcement of the new targets follows the original Courtauld Commitment which was launched in 2005.  Courtauld has succeeded in stopping growth in packaging despite increases in both sales and population in the UK.  Some 500, 000 tonnes less packaging was used over the period 2005-2009 – that’s enough waste to fill a queue of refuse trucks, bumper-to-bumper, stretching from Southampton to Newcastle.

Liz Goodwin, WRAP CEO, said:  “One of the biggest challenges society faces over the next decade is reducing the environmental impact of the things we buy.  This new agreement will bring about changes ranging from more efficient methods of production right through to the impact of household consumption.

"It’s no longer enough to look at the impact of packaging alone – that’s why Courtauld Commitment 2 takes into account the environmental impact of product waste in the supply chain as well as at household level.

"We’re thrilled that so many signatories – old and new - have already committed to this new agreement, and we hope that many more will soon follow their example."

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said:  "A fifth of household waste is packaging, and more than half of this comes from the groceries we buy.  This packaging can be essential but in many cases using less and smarter packaging can achieve the same result.

"Grocery manufacturers and retailers have already started to take action and halted the increase in packaging.  The new Commitment sees them go further than ever in reducing food waste and packaging, and making it smarter – and I want to see members of the industry continuing to sign-up over the coming months."

The 29 founding signatories are:

  • AG Barr
  • Apetito
  • Arla Foods
  • Asda
  • Boots UK Ltd
  • Britvic
  • Constellation Europe
  • Cooperative Retail
  • Dairy Crest
  • Danone Dairies
  • Danone Water
  • Fosters EMEA
  • HJ Heinz
  • Innocent Soft Drinks
  • Mars (UK)
  • Molson Coors
  • Morrisons
  • Muller Dairies
  • Musgraves
  • Nestle
  • Northern Foods
  • Robert Wisemans
  • Sainsbury’s
  • Tesco
  • Unilever
  • Vimto
  • Waitrose
  • Warburtons
  • Weetabix

[1] The voluntary agreement between WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and major grocery retailers and brand owners

Editor's notes

WRAP Press Office
Tel: 01295 819690
claire.barker@wrap.org.uk