Much of it results from buying too much food. According to the four-year, €2.5 million LIFEfoodCycle project — which appropriately concludes this New Year’s Eve — we waste around 88 million tonnes of food worth €132 billion every year.
‘Our vision is based on zero waste,’ says Pedro Lago, Director of Sustainability Projects at project lead Sonae MC in Portugal. ‘No edible food should be wasted.’
The project created a digital circular economy platform to help supermarkets and businesses trade or donate surplus food nearing its expiry date instead of discarding it – including selling 5kg boxes of fruit and vegetables close to their ‘best before’ date for just €0.50 per kg.
‘Retailers have a fundamental role in fighting food waste, helping to set an example and encouraging consumers, employees and suppliers. It’s everyone’s responsibility,’ says Pedro.
Nearly 60% of food waste comes in the final stages of food supply chains. Not surprisingly, fruit and vegetables
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