Food and Drink Industry

The food and drink industry is very diverse and includes many distinct sectors. Together, they form the largest manufacturing sector in the UK. Did you know - UK food and drink companies generate at least 10% (7 million tonnes) of the total waste produced, and consume 14% of the energy and 10% of the water used by UK businesses¹.

Key resource efficiency issues addressed by Envirowise across the sector include efficient water use, effluent reduction, and packaging and waste reduction.

A major study concluded that 'waste is a challenge which the food and drink processing industry needs to address with some urgency'¹. Inefficient resource use is an avoidable cost. Envirowise can help the industry make savings through simple, low cost resource efficiency measures.

Food Industry	Drinks Industry
FAQs Top tips	FAQs Top tips
How much does waste cost? Reducing water use in food and drink Key legislation Benchmarking and managing performance Key publications Key contacts and partners Free support package for the industry

"Delighted by progress, but still plenty of opportunities for further improvement." Emma Webster, Behavioural Health and Safety Officer, Natures Way Foods.

Case studies

• CS404 Dairy profits from zero water use
• CS436 Wine company reduces packaging and tastes success
• CS619 Process improvement at catering supplier slashes production costs
• CS618 Snack foods manufacturer improves efficiency by reducing waste
• CS457 Brewery taps into savings by working with water company

Key publications

• GG344 Setting up an environmental management system in the food and drink industry
• GG349 Water minimisation in the food and drink industry
• EN343 Food and drink essentials: environmental information for the Industry

¹UK Food and Drink Processing Mass Balance 2004.