Gather evidence

Ground-breaking research

Underpinning all our work is understanding where to direct our efforts to reduce food waste, tackle plastic pollution and mitigate the environmental impact of clothing and textiles.

Our research into these areas helps us to decide where to intervene to achieve the greatest impact. It will also encompass practical advice and guidance.

How our research helps

Our guidance on food past its 'best before date' highlighted that the food remained safe and can be perfectly good to eat, helped redistribution charities to increase the amount of surplus food available for those in need.

 

Net Zero

Net Zero / Climate Change insights

  • Net Zero: why resource efficiency holds the answers

  • Six in Ten Consumers Think UK Businesses Need to Act Now on Climate Change

  • Six-point plan for post-COVID growth

  • Meeting the UK climate change challenge: the contribution of resource efficiency

  • Employment and the Circular Economy

Food and drink sector

Our latest reports on food waste and loss for both in the UK and internationally

  • Scope 3 GHG Measurement and Reporting Protocols for Food and Drink

  • Reducing household food waste and plastic packaging

  • UK Food System GHG Emissions

  • World-leading research will pave the way for mainstream re-use and refill shopping in UK supermarkets

  • The unpalatable truth about food waste: it’s everywhere

    UNEP Food Waste Index Report

  • Food waste falls by 7% per person in three years

    2020 - Food waste falls by 7% per person in three years

  • Citizens and food waste as lockdown eases

    2020 - Signs of wasted food in UK homes increasing as lockdown eases

  • Surplus food redistribution labelling guidance

    2020 - Best Before dates shouldn’t be a barrier to redistribution

  • Halving food loss and waste in the EU by 2030: The major steps needed to accelerate progress

    2020 - Halving food loss and waste in the EU

  • Label better, less waste: Milk

    2018 - Highlighting milk wasted across the supply chain

  • Food waste in primary production in the UK

    2017 - Food waste on farms

  • Label better, less waste: Food date labelling guidance

    2017 - New guidance on food date labelling

Plastic packaging

Our recent publications on guidance for plastic packaging

  • Reducing household food waste and plastic packaging

  • The UK Plastics Pact Annual Report 2020/21

  • Compostable plastic packaging guidance

    2020 - Compostable plastic packaging

  • Plastics Market Situation report 2019

    2019 - Plastics Market Situation Report

  • Using recycled polymers in new products: A business opportunity

  • Design guidance for recyclability of household rigid plastic packaging

Clothing and textiles

Our recent guidance and research on clothing and textiles

  • Textiles 2030: Six months progress

  • Retailer clothing take-back guide

  • Changing our clothes: Why the clothing sector should adopt new business models

    2020 - Changing our clothes

  • 67 million items of clothing could be discarded by UK homes post lockdown

    2020 - 67 million clothes could be discarded by UK homes post lockdown

  • Fibre to Fibre Recycling: An economic & financial sustainability assessment

    2019 - Fibre to fibre recycling

  • Valuing our clothes: The cost of UK fashion

    2017 - Valuing our clothes

Collections and recycling

Our recent publications on collections and recycling

  • With over 5,000 participants, WRAP publish their biggest recycling tracker survey to date

    2019 - Biggest recycling tracker

  • Greater consistency in household recycling in England: A framework

    2016 - Greater consistency in household recycling