DUURZAAM

Eurostat: more plastic packaging waste in the EU

More plastic packaging waste, but also more recycling: that is the picture painted by the EU’s 2024 figures. An average of 35.9 kilograms of plastic packaging waste was generated per person. Of that amount, 15.3 kilogram..

Recyclability of primary packaging remains a concern

20 July 2026

The supermarket sector has used less packaging material, but still lags behind on recyclability. This is stated in the CBL Verpakkingsrapportage 2025. Primary packaging in particular remains a concern for the supply chai...

End of Soy Moratorium increases pressure on EUDR

17 July 2026

The end of the Amazon Soy Moratorium is raising major concerns about rising deforestation. With the collapse of this agreement, vast areas of forest are at risk of being lost. Over the next decade, at least 1.4 million a...

Stricter import rules for organic food on the horizon

15 July 2026

Stricter rules are on the way for importing organic food from outside the EU. The European Parliament's agriculture committee approved new measures regarding certification. This decision aims to better protect European p...

Rigid standards cost farmers 20 percent of their crop

14 July 2026

The gap between industrial standards and the unpredictable whims of nature is growing. While the climate causes more variation, the industry is demanding even more uniformity. On average, 15 to 20 percent of the fruit an...

EUDR update: palm oil derivatives and instant coffee added

14 July 2026

The European Commission is adding certain palm oil derivatives, instant coffee, and frozen beef tongues to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Meanwhile, soybeans for sowing are being removed from the scope. These an...

Meat processing sector tracks residual streams more effectively

10 July 2026

The Association of the Dutch Meat Products Industry is continuing its monitoring of food waste. This year, Danish Crown, Sigma Benelux, and DeliBarn are joining the group. This means over half of the combined production ...

Retail food waste plateaus: how will the supply chain respond?

10 July 2026

Supermarkets have made significant strides in reducing food waste. Between 2018 and 2023, retail food waste dropped by 34%. Over the last few years, however, this downward trend has stalled. This is shown in the annual s...

Albert Heijn goes all in on B Corp brands

08 July 2026

Albert Heijn is launching the recurring "Every B-it helps" campaign alongside more than 45 well-known brands. The supermarket chain is using this initiative to boost the visibility of B Corp-certified companies both in-s...

Consumers opt for Fairtrade more often despite high cocoa prices

08 July 2026

Sales of products carrying the Fairtrade label increased by 11 percent in 2025. Dutch consumers purchased over 247 million items. As a result, farming cooperatives in Africa, Asia, and Latin America received 8.9 million ...

Food waste in cheese production proves low

07 July 2026

The Dutch cheese sector is performing well in resource management. New collaborative research shows that actual food waste during the production process is low. Five major producers participated in this initial measureme...

Deposit return system may soon cover dairy and juice bottles

03 July 2026

Beverage, dairy, and juice producers should prepare for new deposit return rules. The Dutch government wants to update the system to increase the collection of plastic bottles and beverage cans. The proposals also affect...

SMK tightens sustainability requirements further

03 July 2026

The sustainability of the Dutch food chain continues to gain momentum. In 2025, SMK tightened the requirements for several certification schemes and saw the certified acreage under On the way to PlanetProof continue to g...

15% organic farming target still a long way off

02 July 2026

Consumers generally have a positive view of organic food, and awareness continues to grow. The number of Dutch consumers who occasionally buy organic products is also increasing. However, the development of organic farmi...

Climate change reduces the nutritional value of crops

30 June 2026

Climate change is affecting more than just crop yields. The nutritional value of crops is also under pressure. In a review published in Nature, researchers from Ghent University describe how new genetic technologies can ...

New scheme supports industry decarbonization