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WRAP: Courtauld Commitment

The Courtauld Commitment is a voluntary agreement between WRAP and major UK grocery organisations that supports less packaging and food waste ending up in household bins.  It is a powerful vehicle for change and in 2008 has led to zero growth in packaging despite increases in sales and population.

The agreement asks for signatories to support WRAP in the achievements of its objectives:

• To design out packaging waste growth by 2008 (achieved: zero growth);
• To deliver absolute reductions in packaging waste by 2010; and
• To identify ways to tackle the problem of food waste. 

To deliver this, retailers, brands and their suppliers are working in partnership with WRAP to develop new packaging solutions and technologies across the whole UK supply chain. This includes using innovative packaging formats; reducing the weight of packaging (e.g. bottles, cans and boxes); increasing the use of refill and self-dispensing systems and collaboration on packaging design guidance.

A campaign called Love Food Hate Waste was launched in November 2007 aimed at helping consumers, local government and business to cut back on food waste.  Several of the signatories are already actively supporting WRAP in this work.  The campaign has already delivered a reduction of 110,000 tonnes in the annual amount of household food waste.

So far over 30 major retailers, brands and suppliers have joined Courtauld since it was launched in July 2005, which represents 92% of the UK grocery supermarkets.  They meet annually to review progress, share information and develop future initiatives to embed real change.

A parallel voluntary agreement is also being developed within the Home Improvement and DIY sector.

Signatories are:

Retailers

Signed July 2005: Asda, Alliance Boots, the Co-operative Group,  Iceland, Marks & Spencer, Morrison's, Musgrave (Budgens & Londis), Sainsbury's, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose.

Brands and Suppliers

Signed 2006: H J Heinz and Northern Foods.

Signed 2007: Britvic, Cadbury, Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd, Dairy Crest, Duchy Originals, Kellogg's, Mars UK (formerly Masterfoods), McBride, Müller Dairy UK, Nestlé UK,  Premier Foods and Danone Waters UK & Ireland Ltd.

Signed 2008: Young's Seafood, United Biscuits, Burton's Foods, Greencore Group (UK), Procter & Gamble, Warburtons and Weetabix.

If you are interested in signing up to the Courtauld Commitment, then contact retail@wrap.org.uk for more information.

Setting internal targets

WRAP works closely with the signatories by offering independent best practice advice and research and by bringing signatories together to find out more about practical solutions to the issues.  All signatories are working on reducing their packaging and food waste and some have developed their own waste reduction targets.

Background

At WRAP's invitation, the Courtauld Commitment agreement took shape at a Ministerial summit, held at the Courtauld Gallery in March 2005, where the Environment Minister and Chief Executive of WRAP met with senior representatives from the majority of the leading UK grocery retailers, as well as the British Retail Consortium.

Review meetings have since been held in July 2008 (ministerial level), November 2007 and November 2006 (ministerial level).

(Original Courtauld Commitment signatory Kwik Save has since gone into administration (July 2007).