On 24th January, the European Parliament's Environment Committee will vote on crucial food waste regulations that will shape the next 15 years of EU food waste policy.

A new campaign urges MEPs to halve the amount of food waste generated in the EU by 2030, and for this target to be legally binding at member state level.

A huge movement of 39 organisations from across 15 countries has backed calls for the EU’s Circular Economy Package to support a farm to fork 50% reduction of food waste by 2030.

This is the largest pan-European group of organisations ever to come together and campaign on food waste policy, including This Is Rubbish, Friends of the Earth Europe, European Environmental Bureau, ActionAid International, Slow Food, Feedback, Zero Waste Europe, France Nature Environnement, and many others. (see Notes to Editors for full list).

The campaign is also backed by 35,000 people who have signed a petition to halve the EU's food waste, which will be submitted to MEPs on 20^th January. [support is expected to increase significantly by 20th]

Martin Bowman, Campaigner for This Is Rubbish who started the petition, said: "The Circular Economy Package has potential to be the most ambitious food waste agreement in the world, and that’s urgently needed – both for the environment and the millions suffering from food poverty in Europe.”

Kierra Box, Campaigner for Friends of the Earth England Wales and Northern Ireland said: “If approved, this ambitious target to halve food waste across Europe should enter into UK law before we leave the European Union, meaning that it will shape our approach to food waste even after Brexit.”

Kierra said: “With thousands of people still going hungry across the UK, and the huge environmental impact of wasted food, if our government tries to wiggle out of this commitment when we leave Europe it will have a fight on its hands.”

Martin said: “But the agreement is far from certain – it might be watered down. Corporate lobbyists have been trying to weaken food waste targets, putting both the environment and those living in food poverty at risk[1]. Halving food waste could become an “aspirational” voluntary target, making it easy for European governments and businesses to ignore. Some versions of the agreement sideline the mountains of food waste that exist on farms and in factories, before it even gets to the plate. But some businesses waste more in a day than a person does in their home in a year."

"We don’t need another voluntary target, or more narrow focus on consumer and supermarket waste. We need to ensure that this agreement is farm-to-fork, and is legally binding at state level, to make it really count.”

“We urge more organisations to get behind us, and the people of Europe to sign our petition to make food waste history.”

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