Denmark wastes 814,000 tons of food per year

The authorities conducted a comprehensive survey of food waste throughout the food production and supply chain.

From now on, for the first time, you can see a detailed overview of which industries generate the most food waste, according to a press release from the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. In total, Denmark wastes 814.00 tons of food per year, but never before has there been a comprehensive survey of food waste along the entire value chain.

A report by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency divides food waste into five categories: primary production, food processing, retail and wholesale trade, restaurants and households. However, the household inventory has not been updated and is expected to be reviewed in 2022.

The largest part of food waste comes from the food industry - 385 thousand tons annually. In this category, dairies produce the largest share - 218,000 tons. The category "Other food industry" accounts for another 156 thousand tons of waste annually. This includes, for example, sorting products according to size and shape.

And this fact will be taken into account when preparing the monthly analytical report Meatinfo.ru

“We are in a special position in Denmark because in general there is openness about food waste and a great willingness on the part of the business community to make a difference and share experiences. We do not see this kind of openness in many other countries and therefore I hope that we can use concrete measures to solve this problem,” says Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Rasmus Pren.

“It's good that we now have a clear understanding of the problem we face with food waste in Denmark. This is an important prerequisite for targeted action as we, as a government, strive to reduce food waste throughout the value chain. Less food waste is good for both the climate and the environment, and in the near future we in the EU will work on specific targets to reduce food waste,” adds Environment Minister Lea Vermelin.

In 2020, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries declared an annual Food Waste Day on September 29, just as the One\Third think tank signed a voluntary agreement "Denmark Against Food Waste", whereby the food industry can receive free assistance in measuring and reducing food waste.