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Wrap aims to extend the scope of its food waste initiatives by involving the whole packaging supply chain and is inviting retailers, brand owners, designers and suppliers to work together to develop suitable waste-reducing projects.

Wrap said it would prioritise the categories that contribute the most to food waste such as fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery products, fresh meats and fish, chilled meat and fish products, ready meals, dairy products and dried foods.

The proposals, which could include using packaging that increases shelf life and smaller pack sizes, should have the potential to deliver "significant" reductions and be implemented as quickly as possible.

Wrap food waste minimisation manager Andrew Parry said reducing the amount of food thrown away in the UK would not only have environmental benefits, but could also drive cost savings throughout the supply chain.

Packaging Federation chief executive Dick Searle, who welcomed the strategy, said: "Packaging plays a key role in product protection and the packaging industry has been incredibly innovative over many years. This is a call to action to continue to build upon those innovations and to push the boundaries further to reduce food waste."

The closing date for the tender is 20 November 2008.

The tender complements Wrap's Love Food Hate Waste consumer campaign, which aims to help householders reduce food waste through practical advice and recipe ideas.

The campaign has exceeded its initial target of cutting food waste by 100,000 tonnes by March 2008.

Download the tender document here.