The Consortium – composed by Federalimentare, Federdistribuzione, Fondazione Banco Alimentare ONLUS, Italian Consumers Union - of the EU Project LIFE-Food.Waste.StandUp presented its results last 20th September 2019 in Rome.
Project activities, launched in 2016, began in the same time as the promulgation of the Italian Law 166/2016 – the so called “anti-waste regulation”, signed by Ms. Maria Chiara Gadda, member of the Italian Parliament – and involved food industry, retailers and consumers. The beating heart of the project was the communication and awareness campaigns against food waste, while promoting the recovery of food surplus for donation.
Project results are more than satisfactory: over 10.000 agri-food companies involved, 12.000 sales points informed and 500.000 consumers reached.
“Figures on food waste explain themselves our commitment and the urgent need of establishing this Consortium: we achieved results beyond our initial expectations. Food Industry, while representing only 4% of total surplus and 3% of waste produced in the whole food supply chain, took up the challenge: it raised awareness among Italian food companies and trained workers”, said the President of Federalimentare, Mr. Ivano Vacondio.
Mr. Claudio Gradara, President of Federdistribuzione, expressed his satisfaction, too: “We worked in two directions. On one hand, we promoted the culture of fighting food waste and promoting donations among retailers (49% of the entire large-scale distribution), providing them with material for managerial training and the involvement of workers; on the other hand, we organised a Roadshow in Italy with 10 stages in relevant cities: we raised awareness among 70% of national population. I am confident that retailers will continue walking along the path of sustainability”.
“The awareness campaign was not conceived only for Italy. As Fondazione Banco Alimentare Onlus we were involved in a wider action at EU level, with the support of EU Food Banks Federation. The activities carried out showed how positive results can be achieved only through a close collaboration among relevant stakeholders of the food supply chain”, stated the Presidente, Mr. Giovanni Bruno.
“The fight against food waste cannot be excluded from consumers’ training, because the higher percentage of food waste is registered within house walls (about 85kg of food per person each year). It derives from bad eating habits. The path is still long, but we are satisfied of our goals so far”, said Mr. Massimiliano Dona, the President of Unione Nazionale Consumatori.