Surplus and waste products are not the same thing.
Surplus products are perfectly good products that are suitable for redistribution.
Manufacturer and retailers may deem a product surplus due to it being:
- Over-supplied.
- Mispackaged.
- Spoiled (damaged) packaging.
- Old packaging design.
- Obsolete seasonal stock.
- Too close to the best before date to be accepted by supermarkets.
Surplus products can be sold, donated or recycled depending on the circumstances. It may be:
- Redistributed to people
- Used for animal feed
- Used for bio-based processing
UK Statutory Guidance states that disposal should be a last resort after all other options are considered, avoiding unnecessary waste.
