European Union wastes 89 million tons on Food per Year

Each year about 30% of all the food produced is wasted and thrown away. This is practically done to keep the food prices up and cause global starvation for a large number of people living in so-called poor(er) nations.

The EU wastes 89 million tonnes of food a year, while an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes are dumped worldwide annually. We cannot sit back, ignore and do nothing while people in Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy and elsewhere are going hungry.

A petition launched in seven European countries, including Britain and France, calling for support for legislation collected more than 540,000 signatures in 2015.

Persuading the French government to pass a law forcing supermarkets to donate products approaching their sell-by date to charities is a first step in the right direction.

Some supermarkets have been destroying unsold food with bleach, for the poor to grow hungry. However under a new French law, food shops with a floor space of more than 400 m2 will face fines of up to €75,000 if they are caught throwing away or destroying unsold food fit for consumption.

The EU has a responsibility before history and before the 500 million people living in Europe. Setting up legislation is a start to wake up society in order to live in a better and cheaper world. However unfortunately capitalism is just about the opposite.

In developing countries there are high levels of what is known as “food loss”, which is unintentional wastage, often due to poor equipment, transportation or infrastructure.

In wealthy countries, there are low levels of unintentional losses but high levels of food waste, which involves food being thrown away by consumers because they have purchased too much, or by retailers who reject food because of exacting aesthetic standards.

The worst sector responsible for food waste are restaurants. They need to buy all the food they have on the menu, or otherwise simply go out of business. About 25% of bread is wasted, while 40% of lettuce is also just thrown away.

Another harmful fact into the equation is that the agricultural industry contributes to global warming. Therefore we must find a solution against the waste system we are pushed to live in.

Globally on average, 45% of all fruit and vegetables produced gets wasted away, while 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of dairy products and 20% of meat follow the same horrible destiny, while millions of people are starving to death.

Close to 30% of available agricultural land, is used to grow or farm food that is subsequently wasted. Reducing food wastage would ease the burden on resources as the world attempts to meet future demand.

The Guardian UK / ABC Flash Point Conservation Society 2018.