Global UN campaign targets food waste

The Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint campaign builds on the UNs save food initiative to reduce food loss and waste along the entire chain of food production and consumption. It specifically targets food wasted by consumers, retailers and the hospitality industry.

The campaign harnesses the expertise of organisations such as WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), Feeding the 5,000 and other partners, including national governments, which have considerable experience targeting and changing wasteful practices.

Part of the trigger for the initiative was the outcome of the Rio+20 Summit in June 2012, in which heads of state and governments gave the go-ahead for a 10-year framework of programmes for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Patterns.

Developing an SCP programme for the food sector is seen as a vital element of this framework, according to the UN.

Worldwide, the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that about one-third of all food produced gets lost or wasted in food production and consumption systems. Food loss occurs mostly at the production stages while food waste typically takes place at the retailer and consumer end of the food supply chain.

In a world of seven billion people, set to grow to nine billion by 2050, wasting food makes no sense economically, environmentally and ethically, said UN under-secretary-general and UNEP executive director, Achim Steiner.

Aside from the cost implications, all the land, water, fertilizers and labour needed to grow that food is wasted not to mention the generation of greenhouse gas emissions produced by food decomposing on landfill and the transport of food that is ultimately thrown away. To bring about the vision of a truly sustainable world, we need a transformation in the way we produce and consume our natural resources.

WRAP

According to WRAP, the average UK family could save 680 per year and the UK hospitality sector could save 724 million per year by tackling food waste.

WRAP chief executive Dr Liz Goodwin said: In the UK we have shown how tackling food waste through engaging with consumers and establishing collective agreement with retailers and brands, reduces environmental pressures and aids economic growth.

With a rising population, even more pressure is going to be put on resources, and we are excited to be a partner in UNEP and FAOs Think.Eat.Save. campaign, which is a great start to tackling food waste on a global scale.

Potential

For the campaign to reach its potential, the UN is urging everyone to get involved families, supermarkets, hotel chains, schools, sports and social clubs, company chief executives city mayors, national and world leaders.

The campaign website, www.thinkeatsave.org, which provides tips to consumers and retailers, will allow users to make food waste pledges, and provides a platform for those running campaigns to exchange ideas and create a truly global culture of sustainable consumption of food.

For example, for consumers it offers advice on best before dates and on freezing food and planning meals, while for retailers it suggests carrying out waste audits and offering discounts for food which is nearing its expiry date.