On new red-letter day: Food industry wants to halve food waste
With the agreement ’’Denmark against food waste’’, multiple leading Danish businesses committed to cut away 50% of their total food waste. This happened on Denmark’s first national day of food loss and waste on September 29th 2020.
On Denmark’s fist national day of food loss and waste, the 29th of September, several Danish businesses within the food industry signed an agreement, to monitor their food loss and waste, in order to half it before 2030. This is in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Danish Minister for Food Mogens Jensen calls the agreement a serious initiative, which can replace formal demands of reduction of food waste goals: ‘’Food waste in Denmark has to go down. It puts an unnecessary strain on climate and the environment, when we use resources on food, that ends up in the garbage bin. Therefore, it is important, that the industry is approaching this agenda seriously. It is a firm step in the right direction, that some of the leading players in the industry sign this agreement today’’, says the Minister for food.
The Danish people must also contribute
In Denmark, approximately 700.000 tons of food end up in the garbage bin every year and in total, two thirds come from different branches within the food industry. The rest comes from Danish homes.
“If everybody in the world lived like us Danes, we’d need almost 4 globes. That doesn’t work. We must do something about the impact on our climate, and we can’t get away from the fact, that each and every one must cut down on their food waste. This would be good for the climate and the environment – and not least for our personal finances’’, says Mogens Jensen.
Therefore, on Denmark’s national day of food loss and waste, an initiative by the Minister for Food, there will also be a big focus on the small solutions in our homes, so that everybody can contribute to take a load off our planet.
Facts: (Signers have been added after the issue of the press release)
- The accord ‘’Denmark against food waste’’ is run by ONE/THIRD: A Think Tank on Prevention of Food Loss and Food Waste
- With the accord, the food companies and industry organisations deliver upon the request issued last spring by the governments climate partnership about the common food waste reduction goals
- Signers of the contract are: Hørkram Foodservice A/S, Salling Group, nemlig.com, Meyers Madhus, Alfred Pedersen & Søn, Carlsberg, Carletti A/S, Stryhns A/S, Peter Larsen Kaffe, Nestlé Danmark, Jespers Torvekøkken, Kohberg Bakery Group A/S, ORKLA, Arla, Naturmælk, MCDonalds, Dagrofa, Månsson, ALDI, Coop, Danish Crown, Aarstiderne, Randers Hospital, Appetize+, Region Hovedstaden, Rema1000
- Business organisations DI, DE, L&F, Region Hovedstaden, DRC, Horesta sign, that they join the common goals of the agreement
- On Denmark’s national day of food waste, numerous local events was held, and in Copenhagen, the Minister for food visited a number of organisations, entrepreneurs and volunteers with focus on food waste.