Each Dutch wastes over half a tonne of food a year. Millions of Europeans are clueless about labelling

Some 88 million tonnes of food are wasted in the European Union every year, the equivalent of 173 kilos per person. The Dutch waste the most food, while households all over Europe represent over 50% of food waste. One of the main causes has to do with the fact that people are clueless about labels.

Estimates show that every year European waste about 88 million tonnes of food, with the Dutch (541 kg per person), Belgians (435 kg per person), and Cypriots (327 kg per person) being the most wasteful.

At the other end, people from Malta, Romania, and Slovenia waste under 77 kg per person a year, according to Eurostat.

The food waste problem has both an ethical and environmental aspect. According to Eurostat, 55 million people – about 9.6% of the EU’s population – were unable to afford a quality meal every second day in 2014. At the same time, food waste also contributes to climate change.

According to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), food waste has a global carbon footprint of about 8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. For every kilo of food produced, 4.5 kilos of CO2 are released into the atmosphere.

The biggest share of food waste comes from households (53%), and one of the reasons has to do with labelling. According to a Eurobarometer survey date markings on food products is poorly understood, even though nearly six out 10 Europeans say they always check “best before” and “use by” labels. About 53% of EU consumers do not know the meaning of “best before” labelling – it indicates the date after which an item of food may still be eaten but may not be at its best in terms of quality. Around 60% of European consumers do not know the meaning of “use by” – which indicates the date after which an item of food is no longer safe to eat.

About 53% of EU consumers do not know the meaning of “best before” labelling – it indicates the date after which an item of food may still be eaten but may not be at its best in terms of quality. Around 60% of European consumers do not know the meaning of “use by” – which indicates the date after which an item of food is no longer safe to eat.

Around 60% of European consumers do not know the meaning of “use by” – which indicates the date after which an item of food is no longer safe to eat.

“The European Union, as one of the richest and most prosperous communities in the world, has a moral and political obligation to reduce huge quantities of food wasted every year,” Croatian Parliament member Biljana Borzan notes in a report which proposes a set of measures to reduce food waste in the EU by 50% by 2030.

The report also includes several proposals to reduce food waste such as facilitating food donations. The report calls on the European Commission to propose a change in the current VAT directive to explicitly authorise tax exemptions for food donations.

Donations reduce food waste while helping people in need at the same time.