Conference of the Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste

On Thursday, December 7, the meeting of the Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste was held in the auditorium of the Ministry of Environment & Energy. 

In the Conference organized by Boroume, which also coordinates the Alliance, the Public Policy and Legislation of the Ministry of the Environment & Energy was presented as well as data regarding the national levels of food waste, while in the second part of the event successful practices and actions to prevent and reduce food waste were presented from member companies of the Alliance.

During the event, Mr. Alexandros Theodoridis, co-founder and administrator of the Boroume organization, presented the research and information campaign carried out by the organization in collaboration with the Laboratory of Organization and Management of Rural Businesses of the Department of Agricultural Products and Food Business Management of the University of Patras. The online information campaign, as well as the survey on food waste in households, was carried out with the financing of the Green Fund in the framework of the program "Innovative Actions with Citizens 2020". 

The main conclusions of the research formed the core of the online campaign implemented by Boroume on social media. The aim of the campaign was to cover the information gaps identified around the multi-faceted and multi-level issue of food waste. In particular, emphasis was placed on informing citizens about the correct reading of food labeling dates, the contribution of food waste to global warming and, by extension, climate change, as well as highlighting the economic impact of waste.  Based on the application that was created, through which users recorded on a daily basis for 15 days the food and the quantities that were discarded daily, it was also found that an average family in Greece wastes more than 450 portions of food per year, an amount corresponding to a €1,000 charge in the family budget. The information campaign was also framed with a call to action, such as practical advice and practices that consumers can adopt in their daily lives with the aim of limiting food waste in our country. 

The findings of the research and the informational actions carried out online were also used in Boroume's existing informational programs, such as Boroume at School and the educational seminars that the organization has been implementing for years in businesses on the topic of food waste and how to deal with it at the local level.

It is noted that the Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste has 73 members and is a voluntary cooperation pact involving public authorities, professional and scientific bodies, food and catering businesses from all stages of the supply chain, civil society organizations and bodies of academic and research community.  More information about the press release: Angeliki Stamelou, [email protected], 210 3237805