An initiative designed to reduce water use

An historic agreement to take action on reducing food and drink manufacturer’s on-site water use has recently been introduced.

Once rolled out across the entire sector, the initiative, under the Federation House Commitment and jointly developed by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and resource efficiency experts Envirowise, could save some 140 million litres of water per day, and a financial saving of around 360m per year on water bills.

The Federation House Commitment is helping the FDF members to achieve their water reduction goals, as set out in the Federation's recently launched Five-fold Environmental Ambition.

It is also central to achieving the industry-wide target in the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy to reduce water use by 20% by 2020.

Companies working with Envirowise are reviewing their current water use and developing site specific action plans to cut water use and costs within six months of signing up to the commitment.

They report annually to Envirowise on water and cost savings made on site. Envirowise are offering companies a package of support measures to help them.

Lord Rooker, minister for Sustainable Food and Farming and Animal Health, who is supporting the initiative, commented: "It has resulted in the first voluntary framework under which food and drink companies can work systematically towards improving efficiency and reducing water use wherever possible.

"It is particularly pleasing to see so many influential companies, responsible for well known household brands, signing up on day one. I would like to urge more companies in the sector to follow the leadership and commitment being shown by FDF and its members to the environment."

Some of the UK's leading food and drink manufacturers such as Nestle UK, Unilever UK, and Young's Seafood, have already signed the agreement.