Food industry cuts water use
7 Jul 2015
Major food and drink manufacturers have cut their water usage by almost a quarter, according to findings published yesterday.
Between 2007 and 2014, members of trade association the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) reduced the amount of water used in the production of food and drink by 24.2%.
We hope this will encourage many more companies to take action on water use
FDF director general Ian Wright
The figures for water intensity (the amount of water needed per unit of production) saw an even bigger reduction of 26.3%, decreasing by 0.69m3 per tonne of product compared to 2007.
“This encouraging result is a testament to the commitment and action of our members,” said FDF director general Ian Wright.
“They have been implementing industry-leading water saving initiatives across their sites. We hope that this example will encourage many more companies to take action on water use and see the benefits for themselves.”
The FDF members’ reductions contribute towards the industry’s Food and Drink Manufacturing Water Use Reporting (formerly the Federation House Commitment), which has set an industry-wide target to reduce water use by 20% by 2020 compared to the 2007 baseline.
So far the UK food and drink industry (including non-FDF members) has made a 15% reduction in water use since 2007.
