Food waste in supermar­kets drops to 0.89%

Food waste in Dutch supermarkets has decreased further to 0.89% of their purchase volume in 2023, a reduction of 35% compared to 2018. These figures were presented to Minister Femke Marije Wiersma of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (LVVN). The annual study, conducted by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and the foundation Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling, highlights the efforts of the retail sector to further reduce waste.

Significant progress has been made, particularly in the categories of fresh meat, fish, and bread. Over the past few years, supermarkets have improved their inventory management and introduced innovative sales methods, such as offering day-old bread at discounted prices. This resulted in a 16% reduction in bread product waste. Similarly, in meat and fish, which have a relatively high ecological footprint, a 37% reduction was achieved compared to 2022.

Innovation and awareness

Supermarkets are also leveraging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to better align supply and demand. Additionally, leftover products are increasingly being repurposed into new private-label items. Alongside these technological solutions, efforts are being made to educate consumers, for example, by clarifying expiry dates on packaging. This is intended to help further reduce food waste in households.

Cbl.nl