Food waste poses significant challenges to food security, the global economy, and the environment. In the European Union (EU), approximately 59 million tonnes of food waste is generated annually, amounting to 131kg per person and causing an estimated loss of €132 million. Shockingly, 32.6 million people in the EU cannot afford a quality meal every second day.
The impact of food waste is also felt in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, with food waste accounting for 16% of total emissions from the EU food system, equivalent to 252 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents. If food waste were considered a Member State, it would rank as the fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions.
Recognizing the urgent need to address this issue, the European Commission views tackling food waste as a “triple win” situation. It saves food for consumption, contributing to food security; it helps businesses and consumers save money; and it reduces the environmental impact of food production and consumption.
To accelerate progress and meet their commitment to halve per capita food waste by 2030, the Commission is proposing legally binding food waste targets. If adopted, Member States will be required to reduce food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing and by 30% per capita across retail, consumption, and food services.
It is worth noting that most food waste in the EU occurs in households (53%), followed by wholesale and retail (7%), and restaurants and food services (9%). Primary production contributes 11% to food waste, while food processing and manufacturing accounts for 20%.
These statistics will serve as a baseline to measure the progress of the proposed law, and by the end of 2027, adjustments can be made if necessary to further contribute to global ambitions.
Member States can take ambitious actions to achieve these targets. The Commission aims to provide support for behavioral change and strengthen collaboration between actors in the food value chain. From a consumer perspective, reducing food waste in line with the Commission’s proposal can save an average four-person household around €400 per year.
While the proposal has received mostly positive feedback from food and beverage manufacturers, ensuring accurate and reliable data is reported by Member States and the Commission remains crucial for its success. Collecting representative and comparable data from Member States will be important, both for the 2020 baseline and for subsequent years.
While the setting of new targets for Member States is a step in the right direction, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), representing environmental citizens’ organizations in Europe, believes that the proposed targets are too low to achieve the goal of halving food waste by 2030. EEB highlights the exclusion of primary production food waste from the targets as a significant oversight.
NGOs are calling for comprehensive and legally binding food waste reduction targets of 50% across the entire supply chain, from farm to fork, to inspire the level of action needed. They believe that anything less than this puts the EU at risk of falling short of its climate goals, international commitments, and citizens’ demands.
The Commission’s legislative proposal will now undergo negotiation with the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. It is crucial that all stakeholders work together to address this pressing issue and ensure a sustainable future for our food system.