European Politicians Set Food Waste Targets

25 Jan 2017 --- The alliance for better food and farming, Sustain, is urging campaigners to get behind an anti food waste petition as Members of European Parliament vote on a proposal to halve waste in the EU by 2030.

The petition says that There are around 55 million people in food poverty in Europe - and the food wasted throughout the continent could feed them nine times over. Globally, if food waste was a country, it would be the third biggest carbon emitter after the US and China.

The food lost also represents a huge waste of resources, and accounts for a significant slice of carbon emissions.

“I think this is a scandal,” says Martin Bowman from campaign group, This is Rubbish.

Earlier this week European politicians voted on targets to reduce food waste which is currently estimated to be 89 million tons in Europe. MEPs are calling for an EU food waste reduction of 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. 

According to Sustain, which campaigns for a greener, fairer and healthier food system, in the UK, a parliamentary committee is conducting a review of food waste, which has just taken evidence from UK retailers.