Tesco hopes this will help identify hotspots and improve collaboration with suppliers.
The hotline is part of a commitment by Tesco to help halve global per capita food waste by 2035, part of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12. "The food waste hotline is another little help we are making [sic] to achieve this with our suppliers," said Matt Simister, commercial director of fresh food and commodities at the supermarket.
“It helps our suppliers gain direct, easy access to our product teams, and this will enable us to identify food waste hotspots and systemic issues and work in partnership to tackle them.”
Tesco said it worked with suppliers last summer to avoid a wasted strawberry crop when warmer-than-forecast weather caused the fruits to ripen. “Tesco’s response was to take the whole crop and introduce large boxes of strawberries to stores at a market leading price, helping customers and avoiding food waste on farm,” the supermarket said. “The hotline will provide another way for this to continue.”
