On National Stop Food Waste Day 2023, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, highlighted the important role that each of us can play in reducing food waste.
Minister McConalogue said:
“Tackling food waste is one the most effective solutions in tackling our global climate targets. It is good for the environment and good for the pocket. Food waste is estimated to cost the average household €700 per year. Reducing our food waste is a common-sense way of saving money, as well as protecting the environment.
Being more aware of what food we are most likely to waste is an important first step in reducing every household’s food waste. EPA research shows that bread, fruit and vegetables are most likely to go to waste.”
The focus of this year's National Stop Food Waste Day is to invite people to take the Stop Food Waste challenge to:
- Find out what food you waste the most.
- See where you can make savings on your food bill.
- Reduce the food you waste the most by:
- Buying less.
- Storing better.
- Eating.
- Freezing.
Minister McConalogue added: “Reducing our food waste means we respect our farm and fishing families processors and those who work to provide us with that food.”
More information on the Stop Food Waste challenge can be found HERE
Ends
Notes for Editors:
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average Irish household can save around €700 per year by avoiding food waste. In the most recent national food waste attitudes survey, commissioned by the EPA, three food types were identified as those wasted most often in Ireland:
Food Vision 2030, the stakeholder led strategy for the sustainable development of the sector, sets out a number of actions to reduce food loss including working with stakeholders to develop a National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap.
The National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025 was published in November 2022 and includes a number of priority action so to prevent food waste.
The most recent EPA published estimates indicate that Ireland generated approximately 770,316 tonnes of food waste in 2020. 31% of the total comes from households, 29% comes from the processing and manufacturing sector, with the remainder coming from restaurants and food service 23%, primary production 9%, and retail and distribution 8%.