Major supermarkets and manufacturers are signing up to efforts to help halve the UK's food waste by 2030, it has been announced.

A new 'roadmap' unveiled by waste reduction body Wrap and food and grocery charity IGD sets milestones for businesses to work throughout the supply chain to tackle the UK's £20bn annual food waste bill.

The roadmap aims to ensure the UK meets the global sustainable development goal to halve per capita food waste by 2030.

By next September, it aims to have all large retailers and 50% of other large food businesses set a target to reduce food waste that is in line with or contributes to the global goal, and to be measuring, reporting and taking action on the issue.

By 2026, all large food businesses should have a target to cut food waste from their own operations.

Under the roadmap, companies will also work with their suppliers and help consumers to cut food waste - which currently costs more than £300 per person each year.

Some 89 early adopters, including all the UK's major supermarkets, as well as food producers, manufacturers, and hospitality and restaurant chains, have committed to the plan.

Environment minister and Suffolk Coastal MP Thérèse Coffey said: 'I congratulate the businesses stepping up to the plate in this ground-breaking commitment.

'The UK is a global leader in measuring food waste and supporting international food waste prevention projects.

'It is through government, consumers, and businesses working together that we will continue to tackle the unacceptable issue of unnecessary food waste.'

The initiative was welcomed by National Farmers' Union president Minette Batters, who said: 'This is an incredibly important initiative by Wrap and IGD, and the NFU is very pleased to be able to support it.

'As food producers, farmers and growers have a clear role to play in this effort and it is encouraging to see many of our members already committing to cutting food waste in their businesses.

'It's very clear that a whole supply chain effort is required to effectively reduce our food waste and it is incredibly positive to see the entirety of the industry throw its weight behind this initiative.

'We are already seeing a lot of innovative work from retailers to utilise as much produce as possible, for example 'wonky veg' ranges in supermarkets which have proved popular with shoppers.'

Fenland salad and vegetable grower G's Fresh, based at Barway near Ely, is one food business supporting the waste reduction targets.

Jacob Kirwan, precision farming and CSR manager for the firm, said: 'G's is proud to be a key part in this collective ambition to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030, and we hope that other growers and producers will join the commitment of 'Target, Measure, Act' to help accelerate the achievement.'