EU Food Loss and Waste Prevention Hub

New findings from the International Food Waste Coalition (IFWC) show that contract catering sites participating in its program have collectively reduced food waste by 25% over the last five years. 

Reported figures show an average of 81 grams of waste per cover, marking a 5% decrease against 2022 and a reduction of over 25% since 2019.

All sectors are showing positive progress, with particularly noticeable advancements in administration and education. In the education sector, these improvements are largely driven by improved accuracy in predicting guest numbers, allowing for more efficient adjustments in food preparation. The growing use of predictive AI tools and pre-booking applications is expected to further drive this positive trend. 

Since 2019, the number of contract catering sites reporting food waste using the IFWC methodology has consistently grown, and now exceeds 3,800 locations across 16 countries. This accounts for 15% of IFWC's member sites.

Likewise, the retention index has also improved, reaching 77% in 2022. This indicates that food waste monitoring is swiftly integrated into a site's routine once introduced.

Although there has been impressive progress, more effort is needed, especially in implementing additional measures to monitor food waste in all three key areas: preparation, service, and plate waste. Furthermore, an analysis of IFWC’s top-performing sites revelas that 70% of member sites have the potential to reduce food waste by a further 50%. 

As more sites adopt consistent and precise food waste measurement practices, IFWC remains resolutely committed to its goal to achieve a 50% reduction in food waste by 2025, building on the successful practices employed by industry leaders.