Net zero commitments are everywhere in hospitality. Major hotel groups, contract caterers, and restaurant chains have all announced targets. But many are discovering that food waste is a larger part of their footprint than expected—and harder to address than switching light bulbs.
Food Waste in the Net Zero Equation
For a typical hospitality operation, emissions break down roughly as:
- Energy: 30-40% (heating, cooling, cooking, lighting)
- Supply chain: 40-50% (food, beverages, consumables)
- Other: 10-20% (transport, waste disposal, water)
Food waste sits within supply chain emissions but deserves special attention because:
- It's addressable — Unlike embedded emissions in purchased goods, waste represents avoidable impact
- It compounds — Wasted food means unnecessary supply chain activity
- It's measurable — With the right systems, you can track exact quantities and types
When you reduce food waste, you're not just avoiding disposal emissions. You're reducing all the upstream emissions from production, processing, and transport that went into that food.
Scope 3 and Food Waste
Net zero targets increasingly include Scope 3 emissions—those from your supply chain rather than direct operations. Food waste is a Scope 3 issue, falling under:
- Category 1: Purchased goods and services
- Category 5: Waste generated in operations
Tracking food waste with category-level detail enables accurate Scope 3 reporting. Without it, you're estimating—and probably underestimating.
Learn more about Scope 3 reporting requirements.
Setting Meaningful Targets
Generic "reduce food waste" commitments aren't credible. Meaningful targets are:
Specific: "Reduce food waste by 50% by 2030" not "minimise waste"
Science-based: Aligned with SDG 12.3 or similar frameworks
Measurable: Based on actual tracking, not estimates
Reported: Published in sustainability reports with methodology
The hospitality leaders on net zero are those who can demonstrate measurement and progress, not just aspirations.
The Roadmap
For operations serious about net zero, food waste should be addressed in phases:
Phase 1: Measurement Establish baseline waste data with category breakdown. This reveals true impact and enables target-setting.
Phase 2: Quick wins Address obvious waste sources—over-ordering, poor storage, excessive prep. Often 20-30% reduction achievable with minimal investment.
Phase 3: Systematic improvement Menu engineering, portion optimisation, demand forecasting. Deeper changes that require data and analysis.
Phase 4: Technology enablement Automated monitoring, predictive analytics, integration with procurement. For operations committed to continuous improvement.
Case Study: What's Achievable
A mid-sized contract caterer committed to net zero ran this playbook:
- Baseline: 11% waste rate, contributing 450 tonnes CO2e annually from waste alone
- Year 1: Manual tracking and quick wins achieved 25% reduction
- Year 2: Technology deployment achieved additional 30% reduction
- Year 3: Advanced analytics and menu optimisation delivered further 15%
Result: 5% waste rate, 195 tonnes CO2e annually. More than 50% reduction in waste-related emissions.
This isn't exceptional—it's what focused effort achieves.
Beyond Your Own Operations
Leading hospitality businesses are extending waste reduction into their supply chains:
- Requiring suppliers to demonstrate waste management
- Favouring suppliers with lower embedded emissions
- Collaborating on packaging and portion sizes
This addresses more of the Scope 3 footprint while driving industry-wide improvement.
Getting Started
If net zero is on your agenda but food waste isn't yet part of the strategy:
- Calculate your current waste footprint
- Understand where waste fits in your overall emissions profile
- Set a target aligned with science-based pathways
- Build measurement capability to track progress
- Report transparently on progress
Net zero isn't achieved through offsets alone. It requires genuine operational improvement—and food waste is one of the most controllable variables available.
Get a sustainability assessment for your operation.