Food waste is an important social issue that puts a direct strain on our wallets and the environment. This year's campaign by the European Food Safety Authority also draws attention to it.
Most Czechs say they try not to waste food. However, according to data from the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information from 2023, Czech households are by far the largest producers of food waste in the country, with 405 536 tonnes of food thrown away annually. By comparison, retail and restaurants throw away an order of magnitude less food: retail accounts for 52,000 tonnes of food waste, while restaurants and other catering establishments throw away 47,500 tonnes of food per year. Raising awareness of how to manage food more efficiently is one of the objectives of this year's campaign #Safe2EatEU, which is organised by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and represented in the Czech Republic by the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
"Food waste is indeed a societal problem. And yet there are simple and functional tips to easily prevent it: buy only what I actually consume, don't fall for sales and discounts in bulk, plan your purchases calmly in advance while keeping an eye on the best before and use by dates. In this way, it is easy not only to reduce food waste, but also to make significant savings on shopping," says Jitka Götzová, Director of the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The issue of waste is far from being a problem only in the Czech Republic. In the EU, almost 59 million tonnes of food are thrown away every year, approximately 131 kg of waste per person. Households also generate the most food waste in Europe, accounting for 53 % of food waste. A further 31 % of waste is attributed to processing and manufacturing, 91 % of waste is attributed to restaurants and hospitality and 7 % to retail and distribution. In the Czech Republic, according to the data, the situation has been improving in recent years: in 2020, Czech families threw away over 743,000 tonnes of food, this year it is "only" over 400,000 tonnes."Although we have seen improvements in recent years, the figures on the amount of food thrown away are still alarming. That's why the Czech Republic has again been chosen as one of the countries where the #Safe2EatEU campaign is running this year," adds Jitka Götzová.
The aim is to make informed decisions
In addition to the issue of food waste, the #Safe2EatEU campaign in the Czech Republic this year will also focus on helping to create a balanced diet, on food labelling and on the correct processing and safe handling of raw materials and finished food. The campaign also wants to address questions such as how much food waste costs and where to save, what is a good investment in health or what is a nutritious versus nutritionally balanced snack. In the Czech Republic, people can find this and other information on the Ministry of Agriculture's website www.bezpecnostpotravin.cz a www.viscojis.cz.
"We perceive that the public is more interested than ever in the nutritional quality of food with regard to their own health, especially in relation to the prevention of chronic inflammation. ZAt the same time, the proportion of overweight and obese people, especially children, is still rising, despite the increasing emphasis on health education.," comments Jitka Götzová on the situation in the Czech Republic. According to the latest data from the National Institute of Health, more than 60 % Czechs are overweight, and up to a quarter of children are overweight. "Awareness-raising campaigns to promote good food purchasing decisions are therefore still entirely appropriate," adds Götz.
The European Food Safety Campaign will be active in 18 countries this year. "Across Europe, citizens make choices every day about what they buy and eat, taking into account factors such as price, taste, sustainability and origin. Thanks to the EU's high food safety standards, they can be confident that the food they buy and eat is safe. The #Safe2EatEU campaign aims to connect the science of food safety to the food that reaches our tables by empowering consumers to make confident food choices," explained EFSA's Executive Director Bernhard Url. Building on the success of previous years, the list of active candidates is being expanded every year. The participating countries for 2024 include Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Estonia, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Cyprus, Slovenia, Spain, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Ireland and Northern Macedonia. This is the second year that the Czech Republic is participating.
O EFSA
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is a European Union agency established in 2002 to serve as an impartial source of scientific advice for risk managers and to inform them about risks associated with the food chain. It works with stakeholders to promote the coherence of EU scientific advice and provides the scientific basis for legislation and regulation to protect European consumers from food-related risks - from farmer to consumer.
About the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic
The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Ministry of Health and in cooperation with other ministries and state organizations, coordinates the entire system of ensuring food safety in the Czech Republic. The Department of Food Safety is responsible for this issue within the Ministry of Agriculture. It includes the Food Safety Information Centre, which provides a wide range of activities, including informing the public through the website www.bezpecnostpotravin.cz a www.viscojis.cz, education of pre-school children and school children, publishing activities and educational events for the general public.
(photo: wikipedia) mze.gov.cz/gnews.cz-roz
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