How Can We Fight Food Waste Through Innovation And Collaboration?
Food waste is a significant environmental, economic and societal issue within the EU and beyond. The European Commission has proposed the setting of legally binding food waste reduction targets to be achieved by Member States by the end of 2030, aiming for a 10% reduction in processing and manufacturing and 30 per cent (per capita) jointly at retail and consumption.
EIT Food together with Paulig - an international food and beverage company arranged a webinar on food waste, bringing together key decision-makers and industry representatives to discuss this urgent issue. During an online discussion on the 20th of November, participants explored innovative solutions, cooperative practices, and emphasized the significance of policy to drive change.
Key takeaways from the discussion
- Collaboration is essential across the entire value chain, no single stakeholder can solve the issue of food waste on their own
- Price and convenience are significant drivers of consumer behaviour, and policies should be implemented to make sustainable choices more affordable and accessible
- Encouraging consumers to take a second look at ‘best before’ dates and assess food quality before discarding items can play a crucial role in cutting down on unnecessary waste
- Continued innovation and knowledge sharing among stakeholders are vital for exploring and addressing the multifaceted issue of food waste
Event speakers & panelists
Along with the panel discussion, the webinar also featured talks from three innovative business owners, leading the charge against food waste:
Juan Medina, Co-founder & CEO, Kaffe Bueno
Kaffe Bueno is a Danish bioscience company, dedicated to upcycling coffee by-products into sustainable resources across various industries. Rooted in innovation, sustainability, and the power of coffee, Kaffe Bueno stands at the forefront of bioscientific advancements, driving positive change for both industries and the planet.
www.kaffebueno.com
Olaf van der Veen, CEO, Orbisk
Orbisk is a startup on a mission to make the world’s food system more sustainable. They do this by using progressive and innovative technology to tackle one of today’s biggest challenges: food waste. The solution provides hospitality organizations with a complete insight into their food waste and help them cut it in half, taking maximum use of recent developments in computer vision and AI.
www.orbisk.com
Filip Lundin, CEO, Sopköket (The Waste Kitchen)
Sopköket is a Swedish culinary innovator committed to salvaged ingredients, meal donations, and job creation. Pioneering a comprehensive waste management approach, Sopköket's primary goal is to minimize food waste, targeting a minimum of 50% rescued ingredients in every meal. Sopköket operates its restaurant and catering business in Stockholm, Sweden.
www.sopkoket.se
Detailed summary
EU Takes Action Against Food Waste: Proposed Legislation Aims for 2030 Targets
Today, one third of all food produced worldwide is wasted. In Europe alone, 132 billion Euros are wasted on food waste annually and this is happening in parallel to the 37 million European citizens that cannot afford a high-quality meal every second day. To address this, the European Commission has adopted a legislative proposal, as part of a revision of the Waste Framework Directive, which calls for the setting of legally binding food waste reduction targets to be achieved by Member States by 2030. According to the proposal, Member States should reduce food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing and by 30 per cent jointly in retail, restaurants and food services and households by 2030.
Fighting food waste requires a systemic approach
Innovative collaboration – including developing partnerships as shown today - and enhancing business practices can play a key role in reducing food waste for a sustainable future, and this was evidenced from the panelists part of the webinar. One of the key points raised during the discussion was the need for collaboration across the entire value chain, as food waste is a complex issue that cannot be solved by any single stakeholder. Instead, it requires a holistic approach, combining the efforts of producers, retailers, consumers, and policymakers.
Three action areas were outlined that businesses can focus on to address some of the major issues:
- Address the businesses own operations and manufacturing processes
- Align on an approach with suppliers and business
- Collaborate with charities and companies, both local and international, to donate and redistribute food, particularly items with intact quality nearing the best-before date or featuring slight appearance imperfections (e.g., in packaging).
Re-evaluating the concept of "best before" dates
There was also discussion around the importance of re-evaluating the concept of "best before" dates, with suggestions that these dates should be stretched to reduce unnecessary waste. It was stressed that food is not waste until it becomes waste, and consumers could be reminded to visually assess, smell, and taste the quality of food items reaching or past the best before dates before discarding them solely based on the date. Another very important aspect is to inspire consumers to fully utilize ingredients and to create new dishes with leftovers that might otherwise be wasted.
Major shifts need to take place to reduce or eliminate food waste
The webinar concluded with the panellists highlighting the biggest shifts that need to take place to reduce or eliminate food waste. There is a need to work together across the entire value chain to address the global challenge of food waste. By sharing data, setting common objectives, and implementing policies that encourage sustainable choices, stakeholders can make significant strides in saving money, reducing waste, and promoting the transition to a sustainable food system.
Missed the webinar or like to rewatch it?