What’s on the menu for the food and drink industry in 2025? For many businesses, it’s rising costs, labour shortages, and mounting pressure to meet sustainability targets. But there’s one cost that’s often overlooked: Water.
A Week of Insights at the Food & Drink Expo 2025
We had a fantastic (and busy!) week at the Food & Drink Expo at the NEC Birmingham, speaking with food producers, manufacturers, and hospitality leaders from across the UK. The challenges they face are clear – and so are the opportunities to reduce incorrect charges and operate more sustainably.
At Wodr, we’re focused on helping food and drink businesses cut costs and improve efficiency through smarter water management. Here’s what we learned, and how you can benefit.
Pressures Facing the Food & Drink Industry
Rising Utility Costs
Water bills have been quietly increasing year-on-year. Many businesses – particularly those with high usage like food manufacturers, caterers, and processors – are still on outdated or default water rates, leading to significant overspending.
Post-Pandemic Disruption
The pandemic forced many operators to pause, pivot, or shut down. In the rush to reopen, reviewing essential services like business water contracts often took a back seat; meaning many companies are still being overcharged.
Sustainability & Compliance
Sustainability is a growing priority for the sector. The WRAP Water Roadmap calls for 50% of UK fresh food to come from areas with sustainable water management by 2030, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 6. Optimising efficient water use is a key part of this.
Why Water Use Matters in the Food & Drink Sector
High Water Usage in Production
From washing produce to cleaning equipment and processing ingredients, the food and drink sector is one of the highest water users. Small changes in how you use water can lead to big savings.
Water in Packaging
As the industry shifts to sustainable packaging, many are overlooking the water footprint of packaging processes. By selecting materials and methods that require less water, businesses can lower both environmental impact and operational costs.
Cooling Systems & Equipment
Cooling and processing systems in breweries, dairies, and meat production use significant volumes of water. Upgrading to more efficient systems reduces both water consumption and energy bills.
Regulatory Compliance
Strict hygiene and environmental regulations demand efficient water use. Businesses that proactively manage their water consumption are better placed to stay compliant — and avoid costly penalties.
Water: The Overlooked Business Cost
Since the deregulation of the English water market in 2017, businesses, public sector organisations and charities have had the right to switch water suppliers – much like energy. But awareness remains low – particularly in the food and beverage industry where there are so many variables to consider.
That means thousands of businesses are still on default tariffs, overpaying and missing out on benefits like:
- Lower water rates
- Consolidated billing across multiple sites
- Access to water-saving audits and technology
- Better customer support and tailored solutions
How Wodr Can Help You Save
• Achieve financial savings by securing a more competitive retail fee and ensuring the correct tariffs are in place for your business.
• Access comprehensive reporting and monitoring, including consumption, Trade Effluent, and carbon reporting.
• Benefit from our vast network of retail suppliers, committed to reducing water consumption and improving efficiency.
• Enjoy dedicated support through our Account Management Model – with a named contact for all your needs.
• Tap into a range of technical support packages, including desktop and site audits, Trade Effluent reviews, and more.
Why Now?
Every April, wholesale water charges are reviewed and adjusted. This makes it the perfect time to review your water contract and assess your current rates.
If you haven’t yet reviewed your water supplier or costs this year, there’s still time – and Wodr are here to help!
Want to learn more about the latest price changes? Check out our latest blog here!