The number of butcher shops on the high street has fallen, but there are still more than 5,000 butchers in the UK. Yorkshire has a proud history of butchers with close ties to the county’s farming heritage. Each one produces a wide range of waste – beyond just meat waste – every day they’re open.
Effectively managing and reducing this is vital to operate sustainably and save on costs. The environmental impact of meat production and consumption is well-known, so it’s especially important for butchers to focus on sustainability. This requires taking steps to minimise waste production from meat, packaging, and other areas.
Discover how to manage and reduce your butcher’s waste to protect the environment and save your business money with these tips and advice.
Types of butcher waste
Meat waste and any bones, fat, and animal parts not for sale are the main thing you might think of as butchers waste. There are other types of rubbish generated by butchers each day too though, like the packaging used for products. Separating and storing waste streams is vital to ensure everything is disposed of properly.
These are common types of butcher waste:
- Meat waste – meat trimmings, cuts, organs, fat, offal, and any spoiled or unsellable pieces of meat.
- Packaging waste – plastic wrap, cardboard boxes, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, plastic bottles, all used to store and transport ingredients and goods.
- Hazardous waste – anything contaminated with blood and the likes of diseased tissues and organs that pose a health risk.
- General waste – daily waste such as used paper towels, cleaning materials, and non-recyclable packaging.
- Sharps waste – damaged and broken knives, syringes, and any other sharp objects used in the butcher’s shop.
- Textile and equipment waste – miscellaneous waste such as old aprons, broken chopping boards, and any other equipment.
How to reduce and manage
your butcher’s waste
The amount of waste your butcher’s shop produces can depend on its size and offerings. There should be various things you can do to cut back on how much you create though. Consider the following steps to reduce your butcher’s waste and manage it responsibly.
Sharpen knives
Supplying staff with the sharpest knives should help trim back on meat waste. Using sharp butcher knives ensures clean cuts of meat, fewer mistakes, and less fat sliced off for efficient results. Blunt knives and those of the incorrect sizes may lead to uneven cuts and additional meat waste.
It can be worth investing more on high quality knives that last longer, retain their sharpness, and deliver a cleaner cut. Regularly checking, sharpening, and cleaning your knives should be common practice. If it’s not, put in place a routine to avoid any use of damaged knives or those that aren’t sharp enough.
Sell or donate bones
There is a market for bones, so they shouldn’t go to waste once you’ve cut off slices of meat. Making the most of bones maximises how much of the meat is put to good use. Selling bones separately is commonplace at many butchers as people use them to make broths or for dogs to chew on.
If you’re feeling generous, you could also donate them to any local animal shelters, charities, or farms. Advertise this option with pickup available from your butcher’s. However, check and ensure that you comply with the Beef Bones Regulations 1997 to stay safe and legal when selling or donating bones from a butcher’s shop.
Discount slow-selling items
Not everything flies off the shelves. There may be some cuts of meat or other items that aren’t as popular as others. As most meat has a relatively short shelf life it’s vital to take action, so it doesn’t just get thrown out at the end of the day and become meat waste.
Discounting slow selling items is a great way to encourage consumers to pick up some less popular products. Determine the best times to reduce prices based on footfall, the amount of each product, and your remaining opening hours. Selling things for cheap is still better financially than throwing it away.
If you find certain cuts of meat or other products are consistently slow sellers then it may be worth reducing how much you sell or stop stocking them.
Regularly review storage conditions
Spoiled meat can cause waste that was otherwise avoidable for butchers. A common reason for this is due to it being kept in poor conditions. Check that all meat is stored at the optimum temperature to keep it fresh for longer and reduce the risk of spoilage and waste.
Investing in good quality chillers and storage equipment with enough capacity is vital to prevent meat products being stored incorrectly. Clear labelling of items including dates should also help with inventory and reduce the risk of them going off.
Improve demand forecasting and inventory management
Accurate forecasting is vital to ensure your butcher’s doesn’t have excess meat and other products that it can’t sell. Check previous sales and prepare for seasonality shifts that may see certain meats increase or decrease in popularity and adapt. Even the weather can have an impact on potential sales, so keep an eye on the literal forecast.
Effective inventory management also minimises waste. For products stored in the back with longer shelf lives it’s important you rotate and move those with nearer dates to the front. Having a clear system should mean nothing gets forgotten about and goes bad.
Arrange responsible butchers’ waste disposal
Eliminating all waste from a butcher’s shop is impossible, but you can work to ensure it’s disposed of responsibly and diverted away from landfill. You should never throw away any meat with general waste, as it could contaminate the load and end up rotting in landfill. There are more sustainable solutions.
Responsible options for butchers waste disposal for meat, food, and organic waste include:
- Anaerobic digestion – this natural process breaks down organic waste to produce biogas, which can be used to generate energy, and biofertilizers. Specialist anaerobic digestion plants can process waste meat, food, and other organic materials.
- Composting – industrial composting is an option for waste meat and fat as it breaks down naturally. This is a natural recycling method that creates a fertilizer for enriching soil.
- Rendering – this is a safe process often used for meat waste and bones that are ground down and reused in various other ways.
Book butchers waste collection with Divert
Stay on top of your waste management with butchers waste collection across Yorkshire with Divert. Select from daily, weekly, and fortnightly collections to suit your needs. Our licensed waste carriers will remove any type and amount of waste from your butcher’s shop and divert it away from landfill.
We provide free bins with zero delivery or rental costs – you only pay for collection This includes for wheelie bins to store the likes of food waste, glass recycling, and packaging waste. Separating waste streams is easy to help your butcher shop run sustainably.
Get a free no-obligation quote for butchers waste collection across Yorkshire with Divert today. If you’ve got any questions then one of our friendly team is on hand to answer them. Call 0333 444 0118 or contact us online for a free bespoke price.
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