Food waste regulation has been a bit of a patchwork until recently. Businesses knew they should reduce waste—for cost reasons, for environmental reasons—but there wasn't much legal obligation beyond proper disposal.
That's changing. Both Ireland and the UK are tightening requirements, and if you're in hospitality, it's worth understanding what's coming.
Ireland: Where Things Stand
Ireland has had food waste segregation requirements for commercial businesses since 2009. If you produce food waste, you need to separate it and have it collected by an authorised waste collector. That's been the law for years, though enforcement has been patchy.
What's newer is the push toward mandatory reporting. Under EU regulations that Ireland is implementing, larger food businesses will need to measure and report their food waste annually. The threshold for "larger" is still being defined, but hotels, large restaurants, and catering operations are likely to be covered.
The Climate Action Plan commits Ireland to halving food waste by 2030, in line with SDG 12.3. Expect reporting requirements to expand as that deadline approaches. Businesses that can demonstrate measurement and reduction efforts will be better positioned than those scrambling to comply at the last minute.
UK: Post-Brexit Divergence
The UK has gone its own way since Brexit, but not in the direction of less regulation. DEFRA has been consulting on mandatory food waste reporting for large businesses, with hospitality explicitly included.
The current proposal would require businesses above a certain size threshold to measure food waste, report annually, and publish the data. Think of it like gender pay gap reporting—not just reporting to government, but public disclosure.
England also has separate commercial food waste collections becoming mandatory in phases. If you're not already separating food waste, you'll need to soon. Wales and Scotland have had similar requirements for longer.
What This Means for Your Business
If you're not currently measuring food waste, start now. Not because you'll be fined tomorrow, but because:
- Reporting is coming. When it does, businesses with existing data will have a baseline. Those without will be starting from scratch under time pressure.
- The methodology matters. There are right ways and wrong ways to measure food waste. Get familiar with the Food Loss and Waste Protocol (the international standard) before you're required to use it.
- Reduction targets are next. Once reporting is established, expect mandatory reduction targets to follow. Businesses already working on reduction will find this easier than those who've ignored the issue.
Practical Steps
Check your waste collection contract. Make sure food waste is being segregated and collected properly. This is already a legal requirement in Ireland and becoming one across the UK.
Start measuring. Even a rough measurement is better than nothing. Weekly waste audits, bin weighing, whatever you can manage. You need a baseline to show improvement.
Keep records. When reporting becomes mandatory, you'll need documentation. Start building the habit now—what went in the bin, when, why if you know it.
Look at your supply chain. Larger businesses may also face questions about upstream food waste. Understanding your suppliers' practices puts you ahead of the curve.
The Opportunity
Regulation is often seen as burden, but there's an opportunity here. Businesses that get ahead of food waste requirements position themselves well for:
- Procurement advantages. Corporate clients increasingly ask about sustainability credentials. Having food waste data and reduction evidence helps win contracts.
- Cost savings. The process of measuring waste almost always reveals savings opportunities. Regulation just provides the push to do what's financially sensible anyway.
- Brand reputation. Consumers, especially younger ones, care about sustainability. Being able to talk credibly about food waste reduction is a marketing advantage.
The direction of travel is clear. Measurement and reporting are coming, reduction targets will follow. Better to get ahead of it than to be caught out.
Calculate your potential savings to see the financial case for action, or request a free report on what reduction could look like for your operation.