Let’s cut Europe and the UK's food waste in half!

Let’s cut Europe and the UK's food waste in half!

Started
7 October 2016
Petition to
Simona Bonafe (Rapporteur for the European Parliament's Environment Committee (S&D)) and
Signatures: 70,052Next Goal: 75,000
Support now

Why this petition matters

Petition also available in: français, Deutsche, Español, italiano, Português, čeština, Magyar, Românăбългарски, hrvatski

There are about 55 million people in food poverty in Europe - and the food wasted throughout the continent could feed them over 9 times over.

Globally, if food waste was a country, it would be the third biggest carbon emitter after the US and China.

I think this is a scandal.

We’re at a historic moment. The EU is about to decide whether to act to halve Europe’s food waste by 2030.

This will enter into UK law before Brexit and be difficult for the UK government to go back on. It could be the most ambitious agreement on food waste the world has ever seen.

Join me to make sure this historic commitment to cut food waste isn't weakened, and to end food waste together.

I’ve been campaigning on food waste for 7 years. I’ve seen literally millions of vegetables left to rot in the field because they were a bit small or imperfect-looking. I’ve seen hundreds of loaves and sandwiches binned daily by single supermarket stores. I’ve found supermarkets throwing perfectly tasty food away, instead of giving it to people.

It breaks my heart to see this food wasted needlessly, alongside global hunger and environmental crises.

This has to stop.

In 2017, there will be a historic decision by the EU, to decide the future of food waste in Europe.

This could be the most ambitious, legally binding target on food waste the world has ever seen, committing to cut the EU’s food waste by 50% by 2030, setting a global example.

And the target will enter into UK law before it leaves the European Union, meaning that it will shape the UK’s approach to food waste even after Brexit. The British Government would need to change the law after Brexit if they want to back down on the commitment. This could be our last chance to get such a strong target embedded in UK law.

But the agreement is far from certain – it might be watered down. Halving food waste could become an “aspirational” voluntary target, making it easy to ignore. Some versions of the agreement even sideline the mountains of food wasted on farms and in factories, even though some businesses waste more in a day than a person does in their home in a year.

No ifs, no buts – we need committed action!

I've joined with campaigners, businesses and environmental groups around Europe to call for:

  • A binding target to cut EU food waste by 50% by 2030, from farm to fork.
  • Prioritise food waste reduction, then diverting edible food to feed hungry people, before being considered for use as animal feed or other uses, and landfill only as a last resort.

Please join us.  Together, we can persuade the EU to take the lead in putting an end to food waste. And together, we can end the needless hunger and environmental destruction it causes.

Support now
Signatures: 70,052Next Goal: 75,000
Support now
Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material.Download QR Code

Decision-Makers

  • Simona BonafeRapporteur for the European Parliament's Environment Committee (S&D)
  • Karl Heinz FlorenzShadow Rapporteur for ENVI Committee (EPP)
  • Mark DemesmaekerShadow Rapporteur for ENVI Committee (ECR)
  • Nils TorvaldsShadow Rapporteur for ENVI Committee (ALDE)
  • Josu Juaristi AbaunzShadow Rapporteur for ENVI Committee (GUE-NGL)