"Food Waste - Is packaging the problem or part of the solution?"

Perhaps the tide is finally changing for packaging and packaging’s place in society.   WRAP, having been instrumental in founding the Courtauld Commitment which calls for reductions in packaging, have now found through its latest ‘Food We Waste’ report that reducing waste should not focus on packaging.
Retailer signatories to the Courtauld Commitment have pledged to reduce packaging by up to 25% over up to a five year period ending in 2012.  The new ‘Food We Waste’ report launched in London on 8th May 2008 concludes that we waste 32%, £10.2bn, of the food we buy.  Of this £2.3bn is thrown away untouched and still in its original packaging.  The report also concludes that the most wasteful social group are single person households that produce 50% more food waste per person than dual occupancy or family occupancy households.