EU Waste Prevention Checkup
According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report titled “Preventing Waste in Europe — Progress and Challenges, with a Focus on Food Waste” more effective efforts at the national level are needed to address the growing problem of food waste.
The report indicates that, in 2022, approximately 132 kilograms of food waste per person were generated across the European Union, amounting to just over 59 million tonnes of food waste. The environmental and economic impacts of this are significant. The assessment provides the latest bi-annual check-up on waste prevention actions, using data and trends in support of the EU’s Waste Framework Directive.
EU Member States have taken steps to prevent food waste, investing in monitoring, awareness campaigns, and education. To accelerate progress, the EU is close to adopting two binding food waste reduction targets for 2030. These include a 10% reduction in food waste at the processing and manufacturing stages, and a 30% per capita reduction at the retail and consumer levels.
The report highlights that reducing food waste can lower greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reduce the land, water, and materials used in food production. Food waste accounts for around 16% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from the EU’s food system, according to the European Commission. Wasting food means that all the resources needed for its production—such as soil, water, and energy—are also wasted.