In a concerning revelation, three major UK supermarket chains – Waitrose, Lidl, and M&S – are now under investigation following allegations of excessive food waste at their stores. The allegations were brought to light by a self-styled “Food Waste Inspector”, an anonymous activist who has been posting videos online showing piles of in-date food being discarded in waste bins, rather than being donated to food banks.
The footage, often captured late at night in off-limit areas such as delivery courtyards and warehouses, paints a troubling picture. One video from a Lidl store shows items like sausages, potatoes, and strawberries, all within their use-by dates, being thrown away without any apparent effort to reduce their prices first. Another video from an M&S outlet reveals discarded products like sliced meat, whole chickens, and bakery items, some of which were not set to expire until 17 January.
The “Food Waste Inspector”, who now has over 70,000 followers on Instagram, has also alleged that some locations have started trying to conceal their levels of food waste after he began drawing attention to the issue. In an online petition, the campaigner wrote: “Imagine the impact if all that good food went to people who desperately need it, instead of ending up in landfill. Not only would it help alleviate hunger, but it would also be a significant step towards sustainability and responsible resource use.”
The three supermarket chains have all confirmed that they are investigating the allegations. A Waitrose spokesperson stated that the fresh produce shown in one of the videos was “not fit for human consumption” and was to be collected for conversion into animal feed or energy. Lidl, meanwhile, said it is “investigating video showing potential compliance issues with our food waste procedures” and is working to ensure all staff are aware of the steps needed to donate surplus items.
M&S acknowledged that “in a small number of stores, something has gone wrong” and that the company is looking into the claims. The retailer stated that it has a clear process in place to manage food waste, including donating unsold and edible food to local community groups through its partnership with Neighbourly. M&S also noted that more than 100 million meals have been donated through this initiative.
While supermarkets are encouraged to partner with schemes like Neighbourly and FareShare to donate unsold food, there is currently no legislation requiring them to do so. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap), a charity working to reduce global food waste, has stated that food redistribution from the retail, manufacturing, and hospitality sectors has improved in recent years, with retailers reducing their food waste by 26% per kg per capita between 2007 and 2021. However, the organisation acknowledged that there is still more that can be done to ensure no good food goes to waste.
As the investigation into these allegations continues, the spotlight remains firmly on the UK’s supermarket giants to address the issue of food waste and ensure that edible products are being distributed to those in need, rather than ending up in landfills.
