Policy Insights - Preventing food waste with CAP Strategic Plans

Food waste refers to food that gets thrown away, including parts that we don't eat like bones or fruit cores and skins. The goal of sustainable food systems is to create a circular process where food waste is minimised or eliminated. When food is lost or thrown away we also risk wasting energy, fertilisers, livelihoods, money, nutrients, opportunities, resources, soil, time, water, and work. Target 12.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) exists to reduce food losses along food value chains, at all stages of food lifecycles, across the world.

Policy actions at EU level to reduce food waste have included revision of marketing standards as well as updated hygiene rules. These complement the Member States’ Waste Framework Directive which promotes circular economy in agri-food chains and policy measures are in place to help prevent food waste. Besides, industry bodies are well (and often best) positioned to encourage the desired upscaling and mainstreaming of food waste prevention. Social media can also be harnessed with good effect by food supply firms campaigning to influence attitudes towards food waste.

The article reviews the policy framework and the initiatives of important actors of the food chain in Europe to reduce food waste and to raise consumers' awareness of this important topic. The text looks at the role of national CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs) to help reduce food waste, for example through support to investment projects managing efficient volumes of agri products placed on the market. It also looks at two case studies gathered by the EU CAP Network: the story of a meat processing plant in Malta, where CAP support enabled an increase in a company’s product range and thus improved consumer choice; and Food Act 13, a Belgian circular food distribution platform that fosters employment and poverty reduction (one of the finalists for the Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards - ARIA 2023).