‘This is devastating waste. There are people going hungry right now in this country.’
Marks & Spencer has launched an investigation after a social media creator filmed wheelie bins full of in-date food behind one of its stores.
The vigilante, known online as the @food_waste_inspector, has grown a large following documenting the food waste that exists across the UK.
In a video posted on January 15, the creator filmed nine bins he’d located outside an M&S store in – eight of which contained unopened and in-date food.
Items such as bread, vegetables, processed meats, and potatoes appeared to have been discarded despite being well within date, some by almost seven days.
The UK currently wastes approximately 9.52 million tonnes of food every year, enough to feed upwards of 30 million people a year. And food poverty in this country is rife, with government data finding that from 2023 to 24 there were 7.5 million people, or 11% of the UK population, in households experiencing food poverty – including 18% of children.
According to the M&S website, giving ‘surplus food a new purpose’ has been a pressing matter for the company since it ramped up its sustainability initiatives in 2015.
Specifically, the supermarket chain has stated: ‘Our priority is to ensure 100% of our edible surplus food ends up on a person’s plate and we have a target the achieve this by 2025.’
Comments have piled up underneath the food waste inspector’s video, with one user @thisanywherelife writing: ‘Considering that you now have to jump through administrative hoops to access many food banks, this breaks my heart.’
@Mollyboom20 added: ‘This could go to schools, care homes, foster kids moving into supported housing, soup kitchens, churches & mosques who support the homeless, or for anyone needing it. So many ways this could go to use. This is appalling.’
The food waste inspector, who is from West London, has 75,000 followers on Instagram and 64,000 followers on TikTok and prefers to keep his anonymity protected.
In a number of his videos, he’s purported that his exposés have prompted certain stores (notably in Harrow and Chiswick) to either put padlocks on their bins or keep them inside in an effort to deter him.
Speaking to Metro about his latest video, he said: ‘M&S waste is out of control […] I’ve asked if I can save any reduced foods five minutes before they close, so I can donate this, [but] I’m told no, it’s got to be binned.’
Speaking to Metro, an M&S spokesperson claimed the chain has a ‘clear process to manage food waste in store’.
‘It starts with the right stock in the right place at the right time. Our stores check products regularly and where there’s a surplus, they should be reducing the price in good time to help sell it before the date is up,’ the said.
‘Food that’s still unsold and edible, we donate to local community groups through our partner Neighbourly. We can also give it to colleagues or surprise our customers with a treat. It’s clear that in a small number of stores something has gone wrong and we’re looking into that right now.’
M&S isn’t the only store the food waste inspector targets. He’s also posted a number of videos filming the supposed food waste outside other supermarket giants such as Lidl and Waitrose.
The food waste vigilante recently launched a petition calling on the government to ‘change the law on supermarkets wasting perfectly edible foods.’
Signed by 7,237 people, the campaigner states: ‘I propose enacting legislation that mandates supermarkets to redirect edible surplus to food banks and charities. Similar laws in France and Italy have proven successful, ensuring that supermarkets donate unsold food instead of disposing of it.
‘By collaborating with supermarkets, NGOs, and local authorities, we can create a streamlined process that ensures safe and efficient distribution of surplus food. Such a law would not only combat food waste but also signal a commitment to humanity and environmental conservation.’
In May 2025, M&S became the first retailer to trial a new redistribution scheme, called Surplus Saviours, which allows individuals to collect donations of unsold food from directly from stores.
Expanding upon their existing partnership with Neighbourly, a surplus food initiative, this move was lauded by consumers.
However, the food waste inspector’s videos suggest that there is still a lot more work to do be done regarding minimising waste.
