Food deals face ban under plan for 'zero waste'

Published Date: 06 July 2008
By Eddie Barnes
Political Editor
SUPERMARKETS could be barred from offering two-for-one deals on perishables ranging from fruit and vegetables to pizzas.
Ministers want a "zero waste" society – and a levy on disposable goods such as razors could also be imposed.Research has proved that shoppers regularly throw away many of the two-for-one products they buy because they go off before they have the chance – or inclination – to eat them.But any move to prevent supermarkets from offering cut-price deals or imposing levies on disposable goods would be inviting the wrath of shoppers, who are already facing huge increases in food costs.A "household waste strategy" to be published this summer will include measures to tackle both two-for-one deals and disposable goods.Officials last night confirmed that the strategy would include "possible legislation" in areas such as "packaging, food waste, and products".Government sources say a ban on supermarkets offering two-for-one deals on perishable goods – such as chickens, pizzas, tomatoes and strawberries – is among the proposals being considered. The deals are blamed for boosting the amount of rubbish going to landfill sites. Officials are also considering whether or not to impose a levy on disposable goods, to encourage shoppers to choose more "sustainable" goods. Razors, cutlery and cameras are likely to fall foul of any such regulations. However, it is understood that disposable nappies will be exempt. The plans are being considered in order to meet ambitious targets set by the Scottish Government to slash the proportion of the nation's rubbish going to landfill from current levels of 50% to just 5% by 2025.By then the Government wants 70% of waste to be either recycled or composted, with the remaining 25% being used to produce energy.The ban on two-for-ones has been prompted by research revealing that one in 10 shoppers in Scotland admit that a quarter of their weekly batch of food ends up in the bin – amounting to some 500,000 tonnes of food waste every year.Environment officials estimate that nearly 30% of all household rubbish is perishable goods which, as it decomposes, gives off methane, a greenhouse gas. Anti-waste campaigners say much of the blame lies with two-for-one deals, which often end up as garbage. Disposable goods are also blamed for adding to the mounting pile of waste. Figures show that thrown-away plastic amounts to 10% of all household waste. Retailers are against any attempt to prevent them from offering discounts, even if they would still be able to offer half-price promotions instead of two-for-one deals.But a ban would be welcomed by many farmers. They claim that supermarkets pressure them into accepting the offers, and they then have to bear the brunt of the costs.The idea of imposing a levy on disposable goods was considered by the previous Holyrood administration but ministers eventually decided the plan was too ambitious.A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government will shortly issue a consultation on possible legislation to help waste reduction and recycling. "It will look closely at what can be done in relation to some key areas, including packaging, food waste and products."Tough new laws on retailers over the amount of packaging waste they generate are also likely to be proposed.Shoppers will be given the legal right to take back any packaging waste to the shop from where they bought an item, with the retailer being required to dispose of it properly.Meanwhile, all businesses and Government authorities may be told to enact a compulsory waste-prevention plan and demonstrate how they are cutting back on the rubbish they produce.