Require shops to give away same-day expiring food before shop closing

183
signatures
closedDepartment for Business and TradeOpened 13 June 2025Closed 13 December 2025

Background

I want the Government to introduce a policy requiring all supermarkets and food retailers to give away food items that expire on the same day, free of charge, starting at least 1.5 hours before store closing. We think this should be a national standard.

Additional details

Each day, thousands of edible items are thrown away while many people across the UK go hungry. With food prices high and food insecurity growing, we think we must address the absurdity of wasting food that could help those in need. We think a national policy like this would ease financial pressure on vulnerable households, reduce environmental impact, and align with the UK’s efforts to cut emissions and waste. We think giving away same-day expiring food benefits both people and the planet—there’s no reason not to act.

Where it’s popular

Constituencies with the most signatures on this petition.

Source: UK Government & Parliament Petitions service. Petition ID: 728637.