In a sustainability-focused move to mark his new reign, King Charles has launched a project dubbed ‘The Coronation Food Project’ to help reduce edible food waste.
The initiative has been welcomed by the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund (which is supported by the Waitrose Duchy Organic brand and was set up by King Charles in 1979); the organisation’s chair Sir Ian Cheshire said he believes The Coronation Food Project going to be a “significant initiative around the country.”
“The King has been a champion of the circular economy, farming communities and increasing our food security as a nation for many decades and is keen to support a step-change in this work,” he added.
Anti-food waste app Gander’s Stacey Williams also said he “wholeheartedly welcomes and applauds King Charles’ launch of The Coronation Food Project.”
“Embracing the concept of yellow-label food items is one such approach. These products, which are reduced in price but not quality, present an opportunity for consumers to make a tangible impact while also enjoying savings on their grocery bills.”
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Alongside other charities and organisations the project will help to distribute waste by partnering with supermarkets and farmers to ensure excess food waste and produce isn’t thrown away.
The work will build on previous royal projects, which included granting a £1 million fund to support the waste reduction focused Felix Project and other food charities across the UK, providing them with white goods such as fridges and freezers.
It is estimated that 9.5 million tonnes of food is thrown away annually in the UK, despite an estimated 8.4 million people in the country being in food poverty.
Elsewhere, King Charles and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan activated a climate clock during London Climate Action Week, which countdowns the time left to limit global warming to 1.5°C before the earth faces catastrophic global warming effects.
