Leading article: Waste not, want not

The revelation from the Waste and Resources Action Programme that we Britons throw away uneaten about a third of the food we buy is shocking, but not surprising. Two months ago this newspaper began a major campaign against waste, highlighting the excessive packaging foisted on consumers by supermarkets. We tapped into a deep well of public irritation.

One frequent complaint was the way in which major supermarket chains coerce shoppers, by their packaging strategies, into buying more food than they need. If you want two apples but are faced only with packs of four, or four carrots but are offered only packs of 12, you have no choice but to buy the extra. This "unplanned shopping" tops the list of reasons Wrap gives for the extent of food waste in the UK. The decision of Morrison's to reduce packaging by 15 per cent is a welcome start, but only that. We trust that other chains will review their practices, too.