Ministers have called for a national taskforce to co-ordinate the work of councils, charities and retailers in redistributing waste food.
With the UK facing a wellbeing 'crisis' linked to poor nutrition, MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee today called on local and central government to do more to promote healthy choices and distribute food to those who are going hungry.
The Government was this morning urged to establish a unit to direct efforts by local authorities, charities, retailers, food producers and manufacturers to establish a food redistribution network across the country,
Committee chair, Anne McIntosh, said that the work of charities and supermarkets to redistribute surplus food via foodbanks was 'commendable' but blasted the amount of food redistributed as 'pitifully small' in comparison to levels that go to waste.
Nine million tonnes of the UK's annual 15 million tonnes of food waste is thought to have been edible.
Children and adults are also thought to be eating 50% more saturated fat than recommended, with young people eating 50% more sugar.
'With the impacts of climate change and rising world populations putting increasing pressure on food supplies, ensuring everyone can access affordable, healthy food presents a growing challenge for the UK,' McIntosh said.
'The myriad choices millions of people make every day on what food to buy and from where to buy it must be harnessed to support national food policy goals, not through increased regulation but through better information from retailers and central and local government. For example consumers should be encouraged to buy British products, since British food production forms a vital component of a secure supply system.'