A new report, the 'SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2016 Progress Report', has called on governments and businesses alike to tackle the issue of food waste.
The report's title references Target 12.3 of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which calls on all nations to halve food waste and reduce food loss by 2030.
A publication announcing the report said: 'One-third of all food produced is never eaten by people. The impact of this loss and waste worldwide is tremendous. Food loss and waste is responsible for $940 billion in economic losses and 8 percent of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
'Around 88 million tonnes of food are wasted annually in the European Union, costing an estimated 143 billion euros. The FAO reports that the amount of food wasted in Europe could feed 200 million people.'
The initiative is being supported by Tesco Group Chief Executive Dave Lewis, Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke, Unilever CEO Paul Polman, and European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, among others.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
