Zero Waste Scotland is inviting restaurants and cafés to take advantage of the free support available to reduce the amount of good food going to waste in Scotland. It's estimated that one in every six meals prepared by the hospitality industry is thrown away, and these are meals which have been carefully sourced, prepared and served by catering staff across Scotland. Overall, this waste costs the industry over £200 million each year, which means that the hospitality sector has significant potential to cut back on costs.

Businesses can engage customers on this important and impactful issue through the Good to Go doggy bag scheme, which aims to tackle plate waste. By normalising the idea of taking leftovers home, Good to Go hopes to remove any embarrassment that customers may feel when asking for a doggy bag.

'Good to Go has helped us provide a convenient service to our customers which they have now come to expect,' says Suzanne O'Connor of the Contini Restaurant Group, after receiving a free starter pack at The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant in Edinburgh. 'You can feel confident sending your food away from the kitchen as food safety is covered on the labels and having biodegradable boxes also ensures that we are aren't using single plastics which we know people are trying to avoid. I would encourage any business to benefit from this free support while it's available. Most importantly you're providing a better service to your customers with the potential to change food waste behaviours and save money!'

Zero Waste Scotland currently offer free Good to Go starter packs on a first come, first served basis to SMEs. Participants will receive 300 food boxes, labels detailing food safety guidance, paper bags and marketing materials.

To find out more, visit zerowastescotland.org.uk/food-waste/good-to-go or email [email protected].