According to FAO, by 2050 the world’s population will reach 9.1 Billion. Most of this will take place in developing countries, in order to feed this larger population food production must increase by 70%. Annual cereal production will need to increase by to about 3 billion tonnes from the 2.1 billion of today. However the European commission estimates that every year almost 1.300 million tonnes of food is wasted, that is about 1/3 of world production. About 89 million tonnes is perfectly eatable food.
The loss of food takes place in every point of the food processing chain; from the crop field, the processing plant and distribution to the final consumer. No exhaustive investigation has been undertaken to measure the consequence of the wastage of food.
In more recent years the economic recession has made the issue even more relevant. As more people are struggling with a stagnant economy food waste places more than an ethical question. The reduction of food waste would certainly benefit the less privileged part of the population and would help fight malnutrition.
The European parliament has called for a resolution with measure to halve the food wastage in the EU. Up to 50% of edible food and healthy food gets wasted in European households, supermarkets and restaurants while 79 million people live in poverty.
The European union has called for action to halve all food wastage by 2050 and to provide improved access to food for the needy. This is a problem that is becoming urgent. Eu Resolution calls for action with new awareness campaign both at national and European level to inform the public about food wastage and how to avoid it. Eu citizens need to be informed and educated in school and college courses on food disposal and best practices. In order to promote this issue the MEP have called for 2014 to be designated as “European year against food waste”.
Another measure been introduced is improved packaging and labelling to avoid to offer food that is too close to the expiry date which increases the potential for wastage, dual date labelling will state when the product may be offered (sell by date) on the shelves and the second one when it will be consumed (best before). Products which are too close to expiry date should be sold at discount to make them available to the needy. Another measure is food packaging to enable consumer to buy only the amount they require and provide better conservation. In public procurement for catering contracts would award those companies that provide for redistribution to food banks. Other initiatives include recovering unsold food and re offer it to the needy.
The problem of food wastage is found almost everywhere in the food processing chain. Households account for 42% and manufacturers for 39% of the total While retailers and catering account for 19%. (S. European commission). The strategy needs to take into account all stages of the food chain and take into consideration all those factors that impact on food wastage. This is the only way to reduce food wastage and to promote welfare.