FoodDrinkEurope welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament’s report today on “How to avoid food wastage: Strategies for a more efficient food chain in the EU”.

Finding solutions to food wastage is a key priority for the food and drink industry because the resources and sustainability measures put into the production of food, such as the raw materials, water and fuels, are also wasted when food is wasted for example, in households.

FoodDrinkEurope welcomes the report’s recognition of manufacturers’ efforts to minimise waste. Practices have been put in place to minimise waste and better use raw materials, for example, by using parts that do not go into the main food product, e.g. by-products to produce renewable energy or animal feed. FoodDrinkEurope is pleased to see the call for a harmonised implementation of the definition of by-products across Member States. This would provide certainty to manufacturers and facilitate future investment.

FoodDrinkEurope members welcome the acknowledgement of the role that packaging can play in preventing food waste and the need for clarification on date labels to help raise consumer awareness and knowledge. However, in order to compare data and design food waste policy measures across EU Member States, food manufacturers believe that efforts to improve the consistency of reporting on the figures and waste categories used by some Member States could have been highlighted.

Food manufacturers will continue to work with stakeholders including in the European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table (SCP RT) and the High Level Forum1 to achieve industry’s overall aim of minimising food waste. FoodDrinkEurope now looks forward to working with all stakeholders to tackle this key issue.

1High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/food/competitiveness/forum_food/index_en.htm

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For further information:

Lisa McCooey, Deputy Director General/ Director of Communications

Tel.: +32 2 514 11 11, Mob.: +32 476 911 300

l.mccooey@fooddrinkeurope.eu

FoodDrinkEurope represents the food and drink industries of the EU – the largest manufacturing sector in the EU in terms of turnover and employment. FoodDrinkEurope’s mission is to represent the food and drink industries’ interests, at the level of European and international institutions, in order to contribute to the development of a legislative and economic framework addressing the competitiveness of industry, food quality and safety, consumer protection and respect for the environment. FoodDrinkEurope's membership is made up of 25 national federations, including 3 observers, 26 European sector associations and 18 major food and drink companies. For more information on FoodDrinkEurope and its activities, please visit: www.fooddrinkeurope.eu