From 16 to 24 November, the European Week for Waste Reduction (SERR) will take place, an initiative of European relevance held every year with different themes, aimed at adopting actions and strategies addressing waste prevention and environmental sustainability. This edition will target food waste, with a focus on the entire food chain, from production to distribution and consumption at home.
According to the latest report published by UNEP, the ‘Food Waste Index Report 2024’, in 2022 approximately one fifth of all food produced is wasted at household, restaurant and commercial level. Moreover, 13% of food is lost even before it reaches the final stages of the chain between production, harvesting and transport. Globally, however, most of food waste is generated in consumers' homes. At around 631 million tonnes, it accounts for as much as 60 % of the total.
As far as Europe is concerned, data from the European Commission tells us that over 58 million tonnes of organic waste are generated each year, with an average of 131 kilograms per inhabitant. The market value associated with food waste produced each year in Europe is estimated at around 132 billion euros. (Source: European Council. Food waste.)
In a world where hunger and malnutrition are still among the top objectives for sustainable development, tackling food waste is of paramount importance. However, it is difficult to propose concrete actions against it, due to the complexity of the supply chain and the need for an individual and systemic approach. While it is the individual citizen who must be more careful and adopt better eating habits, it is governments who must promote policies that implement technologies to reduce losses and optimize logistics and distribution. Furthermore, education and awareness-raising activities can be starting points for more conscious consumption.
This is the context for the EWWR, which aims to involve all levels of society. In the months leading up to the event, citizens, schools, associations, businesses and public administrations are invited to propose ideas and disseminate good practices. During the week, a jury of experts in the field will select the most deserving actions and then decide on a winner for each of the five categories. The purpose of the event is to motivate the adoption of innovative and replicable solutions towards a sustainable future. For further information, please find below a link to all the proposed actions of this edition: Actions of EWWR 2024