Environmental group petitions for food waste reduction

Exhibits and campaigns have raised awareness of food waste in Switzerland, but about one-third of food continues to land in bins Keystone

The World Wildlife Fund in Switzerland has urged producers, retailers and consumers to drastically reduce food waste. The group wants parliament to set legal conditions to implement the necessary measures.

A petition launched ahead of  World Food Day on October 16 calls for a reduction of food waste in Switzerland by at least 50% by the year 2025.

“There are still more than 800 million people who don’t have enough to eat,” the environmental group says.”At the same time, studies show that two out of three potatoes are wasted in Switzerland.”

That amounts to an estimated 303,000 tons of potato, as well up to 40% of fresh vegetables and 19% of meat, that are thrown out annually.

Those figures are based on surveys in Britain as there are no specific data available from Switzerland. But the situation in both countries is comparable, the group says.

It adds that a detailed evaluation of the figures from Switzerland would help to tackle the issue of food waste.

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world to honour the creation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).