Petition · Department for Business and Trade

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

Closed 183 signatures

What the petition asks

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.
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.

Timeline

13 Jun 2025 Petition opened for signatures
13 Dec 2025 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 183
Status Closed
Department Department for Business and Trade
Opened 13 Jun 2025
Closed 13 Dec 2025

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 9 Aug 2026.