Tackling the avoidable issue of Food Loss and Waste

What are the goals of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste?   

The EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste (FLW) was set up in 2016 to  bring together EU institutions, international organisations, experts from the EU countries and stakeholders involved in food production and  consumption from ‘Farm to Fork’, including consumer- and other non-governmental organisations.  The Platform collectively explores more effective ways to prevent food waste, shares best practice and assesses progress made.  

The Platform plays a key role in mobilising action to reduce food loss and waste across the EU as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy. In order to pursue this important work, the Commission launched a new public call for applications for private sector organisations and invited public entities to join the Platform for its next 5-year term (2022-2026).     

In addition to holding plenary meetings, the Platform also works in sub-groups to examine specific aspects and/or questions related to food waste prevention. These subgroups handle four key strands: food donation, food waste measurement, action and implementation, and date marking and -- as of 2022-- will also specifically address prevention of consumer food waste, both in- and out-of-home. 

Is food waste still an issue in Europe in 2021?   

Unfortunately, yes. Some 88 million tonnes of food waste are generated in the EU every year, with related costs estimated at €143 billion.    

While around 20% of the food produced in the EU is lost or wasted, every other day, some 33 million people cannot afford a quality meal (including meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian equivalent). Food waste is not only unacceptable in a world where too many people suffer from hunger, it also has a huge environmental impact, putting unnecessary burden on limited natural resources and accounting for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.    

While these sobering numbers reveal the huge scope of the problem, we can reverse the trend if we all do our part. It is within our power as organisations and individuals to turn things around.    

By working together, we will save food for human consumption, reduce the amount of resources needed to produce the food we eat, create savings for primary producers, companies and consumers, and have a real and positive impact on climate change.  It might sound like we have a lot on our plate, but it’s doable if everyone does their part.   

What does the Farm to Fork Strategy do to address food loss and waste?   

The EU is committed to achieving the global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3 to halve per capita food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030, and reduce food losses along the food production and supply chains.   

The Farm to Fork Strategy puts reducing food loss and waste front-and-centre in order to achieve this goal and drive food waste out of our food systems.   

By the end of 2023, the Commission will propose legally binding targets to reduce food waste across the EU in order to accelerate the breadth and pace of change required. And by the end of next year, the Commission will propose revising the EU date marking rules to avoid that consumers throw away perfectly safe food due to confusion over the meaning of  ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates.   

The Commission will also further integrate food loss and waste prevention in other EU policies, investigate ways of preventing food losses at the production stage, and continue to mobilise all players, notably by encouraging active implementation of the recommendations for action of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste. Moreover, calls for proposals under the EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme Horizon Europe will offer new opportunities for research and innovation to address food loss and waste. 

What else will the Commission do to encourage that each and every one of us takes action?  

The Commission is launching a new project – the European Consumer Food Waste Forum –bringing together academics and food waste prevention practitioners to find solutions and develop tools and guidelines to prevent consumer food waste.   

Estimates indicate that more than half of total food waste in the EU is generated in households, so this is an important focus area.  This is an area where each and every one of us has personal responsibility and can really make a difference   

Last but not least, the Commission’s newly launched EU Food Loss and Waste Prevention Hub will allow experts and stakeholders alike to exchange knowledge and experience in food loss and waste prevention. We cannot afford to waste know-how and information - ideas, experiences and solutions need to be shared and put to good use in the fight against food loss and waste.   

For more information on the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste, please visit: EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste