Saving food is everyone’s responsibility 

Sodexo began developing its food waste prevention programme over 10 years ago, deploying it at locations around the globe. Our food waste reduction solution, WasteWatch, was introduced at our partnered North Devon District Hospital site in March 2021. 

The scale of the food waste problem  

According to the United Nations, one-third of the world’s food goes to waste – as a result, wasting food generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all the commercial flights in the world. Fighting food waste therefore presents a significant opportunity to make a real impact on the global crises of both climate change and food poverty.  

Food waste reduction so far  

The Sodexo team at the North Devon District Hospital very quickly embraced WasteWatch and were shocked to find out how much of the food they produced ended up in the bin.  

The 400-bed hospital serves 170 meals to staff every day. WasteWatch technology has helped kitchen teams reduce food waste, by providing clear, actionable insights into what is going unused and when – with managers needing just seven minutes a day to review data. 

Since the initiative started in March 2021, in the first eight months this has led to a 62% reduction in retail food waste through less customer plate waste, counter waste and production waste. This has exceeded expectations as Sodexo has a target of cutting food waste by 50% by 2025. In real terms, this means that the hospital has prevented over 28 metric tonnes of CO2 and 4,000 Kg of food has been kept out of landfill – the weight of an adult rhino.  

By reviewing the number of items produced against those sold, WasteWatch enabled the kitchen team to make more informed choices when it came to batch cooking and order quantities. With better managed stock levels, most spoilage is now avoided, although any food that does end up going to waste is pulped before being sent off for energy conversion in an anaerobic digester.  

Additionally, the site has begun using DRIVE, a food management process that helps companies plan their food journeys. By creating tailored menus, the system allows the kitchen team to source available food items in the correct quantity, at the right time. The figures from DRIVE are also used to determine sales trends and make sure that financial targets are being met.  

Next steps to reduce further food waste 

WasteWatch has been fundamental to raising awareness about food waste. Monthly reviews are held to ensure these achievements are maintained, and the hospital is now hoping for the same successful level of waste reduction in their patient dining facilities for the next stage of the project.  

We look forward to carrying on working with the hospital trust and continuing to fight food waste together. At Sodexo, we are always looking for new opportunities to further the conversation, increase understanding, and drive action on food loss. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in contact with Sodexo's Corporate Responsibility team.

Find out more about WasteWatch