By michael - February, 3rd 2014

Food Wastage: This refers to all foodstuffs lost by deterioration or waste. The term “wastage” encompasses both food loss and food waste. Food Waste: This refers to all foodstuffs appropriate for human consumption but are nevertheless discarded. Determine how you should know about this crime.

Food waste will never be curtailed while retailers are allowed to open new supermarkets where there is already ample provision (Major grocers to follow Tesco in revealing amount of food wasted, 29 January). Every store, to compete, must carry a full range of goods, including perishables, which is bound to involve considerable surpluses. Disclosing the volume of food discarded or even sending less to landfill sites is merely paying lip service. It is time for government and local planners to acknowledge that unfettered expansion of the supermarket empire is behind this unacceptable waste of food and act accordingly.
Ruth Stephens
Perranporth, Cornwall

• The report of a prosecution for “stealing” food that had been thrown away (Report, 28 January) comes as no surprise to those of us with experience of defending cases in north London. Last year at the same court the police sought to prosecute a homeless man who had taken a cold …

 

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