By . Daily Mail Reporter . Supermarkets should end ‘buy one get one free’ offers to help cut food waste, a group of peers has said. It also suggested that unsold produce could be sent to food banks. The House of Lords European Union Committee said it was ‘morally repugnant’ that at least 90million tonnes of food were dumped each year in the EU, including 15million in Britain. 'Morally repugnant': The EU Committee of the House of Lords blasted offers that fuel food waste . ‘It is an absolutely shocking waste of resources,’ said Baroness Scott of Needham Market, who chairs the committee. Lady Scott said: 'Food waste in the EU and the UK is clearly a huge issue. 'Not only is it morally repugnant, but it has serious economic and environmental implications. 'The fact that 90 million tonnes of food is wasted across the EU each year shows the extent of the problem and explains why we are calling for urgent action. Supermarkets were advised to find people who need the excess food before sending it to landfills . 'Globally, consumers in industrialised nations waste up to 222 million tonnes of food a year, which is equivalent to nearly the entire level of net food production of Sub-Saharan Africa. 'We cannot allow the complexity of the issues around defining and monitoring food waste to delay action any further. 'We are calling on the new European Commission, which will be appointed in November this year, to publish a five-year strategy for reducing food waste across the EU, and to do so within six months of taking office.' The report found that the carbon footprint of worldwide food waste is equivalent to twice the global greenhouse gas emissions of all road transportation in the US. She added: ‘We are urging supermarkets to look again at offers such as “buy one get one free”, which can encourage excess consumption, which leads to food waste. 'There is also much that can be done domestically, and in particular by the big retailers, to reduce food waste. ‘The UK Government... can consider whether tax incentives might be used to encourage retailers to ensure unsold food that is still fit for human consumption is actually eaten by people, for example by working with food banks, rather than sent to compost or landfill.’ Lady Scott also urged supermarkets to work closely with farmers to ensure they did not cancel food orders unnecessarily.
EU Committee in House of Lords blasted 90million tonnes food waste .
Branded level of unsold produce 'shocking' and 'morally repugnant'
Urged against sending food to landfill before finding people who need it .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Supermarkets should end ‘buy one get one free’ offers to help cut food waste, a group of peers has said. It also suggested that unsold produce could be sent to food banks. The House of Lords European Union Committee said it was ‘morally repugnant’ that at least 90million tonnes of food were dumped each year in the EU, including 15million in Britain. 'Morally repugnant': The EU Committee of the House of Lords blasted offers that fuel food waste . ‘It is an absolutely shocking waste of resources,’ said Baroness Scott of Needham Market, who chairs the committee. Lady Scott said: 'Food waste in the EU and the UK is clearly a huge issue. 'Not only is it morally repugnant, but it has serious economic and environmental implications. 'The fact that 90 million tonnes of food is wasted across the EU each year shows the extent of the problem and explains why we are calling for urgent action. Supermarkets were advised to find people who need the excess food before sending it to landfills . 'Globally, consumers in industrialised nations waste up to 222 million tonnes of food a year, which is equivalent to nearly the entire level of net food production of Sub-Saharan Africa. 'We cannot allow the complexity of the issues around defining and monitoring food waste to delay action any further. 'We are calling on the new European Commission, which will be appointed in November this year, to publish a five-year strategy for reducing food waste across the EU, and to do so within six months of taking office.' The report found that the carbon footprint of worldwide food waste is equivalent to twice the global greenhouse gas emissions of all road transportation in the US. She added: ‘We are urging supermarkets to look again at offers such as “buy one get one free”, which can encourage excess consumption, which leads to food waste. 'There is also much that can be done domestically, and in particular by the big retailers, to reduce food waste. ‘The UK Government... can consider whether tax incentives might be used to encourage retailers to ensure unsold food that is still fit for human consumption is actually eaten by people, for example by working with food banks, rather than sent to compost or landfill.’ Lady Scott also urged supermarkets to work closely with farmers to ensure they did not cancel food orders unnecessarily.
suggested that unsold produce could be sent to 'Morally repugnant': The EU Committee of the House of Lords blasted offers that fuel food advised to find people who need the excess food before sending it to landfills . 'Globally, defining and monitoring food waste to delay