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In 2025, Foodsharing Luxembourg continued and strengthened its commitment to fighting food waste thanks to an increasingly active community. Today, the non-profit organization has 306 volunteer Foodsavers, united by a common mission: to save food that is still perfectly edible but destined to be thrown away

Many people are unaware that most products carry a ‘best before’ date, which indicates quality rather than safety. In many cases, food can still be consumed well beyond this date without any health risk. Yet nearly 30% of  food produced is still thrown away. It was in response to this situation that Foodsharing Luxembourg was created, with the aim of preserving the planet’s resources and taking concrete action against climate change by reducing food waste.

To carry out this initiative, Foodsharing now collaborates with 62 cooperations and partner stores across the country in the Foodsaving project. These partners share unsold food that is still edible, which is then collected by volunteer members. We are proud to work with partners that understand the significant impact of food waste on our climate, environment, and society. The quantities saved vary greatly: they can range from small collections of 2 kg to more than 20 kg in a single collection from a large retailer.

Saved food can also be dropped off at one of the country’s 3 official Foodsharing Points, which are accessible to everyone free of charge, in accordance with strict hygiene rules. These points are located in Differdange, Esch-sur-Alzette, and Lintgen, and allow food to be made available for free, with no conditions attached.

Foodsharing Luxembourg relies entirely on volunteers. Each member gives their time and energy to keep this solidarity network alive. The results alone in the Foodsaving project speak for themselves:

👉 In 2025, nearly 164.400 kg of food was saved across Luxembourg.  

👉 Since 2019, Foodsharing Luxembourg has rescued more than one million kilograms of edible food. At an average of 50 kg per supermarket trolley, that represents a 20-kilometre line of fully loaded trolleys.

Beyond its daily rescue efforts, the non-profit organization also works to change the legislative framework in Luxembourg. Foodsharing advocates in particular for:

• a mandatory discount of at least 30% on products approaching their best before date or expiry/use-by date in the next 3 days,
• the sale at reduced prices of “ugly” fruit and vegetables that are perfectly edible,
• the obligation for businesses to donate food that is still edible,
• and greater awareness of anti-waste food practices at the national level.

We can all make a difference by changing a few everyday habits to reduce food waste. And if you’d like to take action even further, Foodsharing Luxembourg is always open to welcoming new motivated members.

You can also take part in one of the free zero-waste meals organized every month by Foodsharing members. The next one will take place on Sunday, January 25 at La Mesa – Maison de la transition in Esch-sur-Alzette.We would like to thank all the volunteers, active foodsavers, and partners for their commitment, motivation, and essential contribution to the fight against food waste in Luxembourg.

Eng gratis Online-Plattform hëlleft Lëtzebuerger Residenten Uebst aus traditionelle Bongerten virum Verfaulen ze retten a Gemeinschaften  mateneen ze verbannen.

Wat ass “Kierfchen” a firwat ass dës Initiative wichteg?

Bis an d’Mëtt vum 20. Joerhonnert ware Bongerten d’Haaptquell fir Uebst a ganz Lëtzebuerg. Haut bleift de gréissten Deel vun dësem lokal ugebauten an onbehandelten Uebst net recoltéiert an verfaule gelooss. Als Äntwert op dës Erausfuerderung gouf vum Natur & Geopark Mëllerdall d’Online-Plattform „Kierfchen“ entwéckelt. De Projet gëtt vum Ministère fir Ëmwelt, Klima a Biodiversitéit finanzéiert an huet als Zil, d’Benotze vun dëse Friichten ze fërderen an der Liewensmëttelverschwendung op lokalem Niveau aktiv entgéintzewierken. Et handelt sech ëm eng interaktiv Plattform, déi et jidderengem liicht maache soll, Ressourcen aus dem Bongert ze deelen, ze fannen oder ze notzen, fir datt wäertvoll Friichte vun eise lokale Gemenge konsuméiert ginn.

Wéi funktionéiert daat?

D’Haaptzil vu kierfchen.lu ass et, jiddereen zesummenzebréngen, deen sech mat Bongerten an domat verbonnene lokale Liewensmëttelnetzwierker beschäftegt. D’Plattform offréiert eng gratis interaktiv Kaart, fir Leit am ganze Land mateneen ze verbannen. Zënter dem Fréijoer 2025 deckt d’Kaart dat ganzt Land of. Elo kënnen Awunner iwwerall zu Lëtzebuerg Offeren astellen oder duerchsichen. Egal obs du een eenzegen Äppelbam an dengem Gaart hues oder e Gemeinschaftsbongert manags, du kanns matmaachen. D’Plattform verbënnt Leit, déi Uebst ze vill hunn, mat deenen, déi no lokale Produite sichen, a schaaft esou eng direkt Verbindung tëscht Offer an Demande.

Wie ka matmaachen?

Jidderee ka kierfchen.lu notzen. Et si keng speziell Qualifikatiounen néideg. Klengbaueren, Besëtzer*inne vu Bongerten, Gruppen, Hobbygäertner, Restauranten an Awunner sinn häerzlech wëllkomm! Wanns du Uebst aus Bongerten an domat verbonne Ressourcen recoltéiere, deelen, kafen, tauschen oder zesummeschaffen wëlls, ass dës Plattform genee dat Richtegt fir dech. Och Leit mat nëmmen engem Bam sinn häerzlech invitéiert, sech ze bedeelegen an dobäi ze hëllefen, Offall ze reduzéieren a gläichzäiteg lokal Liewensmëttelnetzwierker ze stäerken.

Wat fënnt een op der Kaart?

D’Plattform bitt eng ganz Rei Offeren un, déi iwwer just Uebst erausginn. Et fënnt een hei Friichten an Nëss, déi recoltéiert oder kaaft kënne ginn, regional Produzenten, Restauranten, déi lokal Ingrediente bezéien, Imker, Véiziichter, Maschinnen fir d‘Recolte fir auszeléinen oder ze lounen, Berodungsplaze fir Naturschutz a Evenementer. Kierfchen.lu promovéiert och d’Campagne „Gielt Band“ vum Landwirtschaftsministère, wou mat engem giele Band markéiert Beem signaliséieren, datt d’Friichte vun all Mënsch däerfe gepléckt ginn. Et ass eng zentral Ulafstell fir alles, wat mat der Lëtzebuerger Landschaft a Bongerten ze dinn huet.

Momentan ass d‘Plattform nëmmen op Däitsch disponibel, mä Iwwersetzungen an aner Sproochen sinn an der Maach.

Wéi kann ech matmaache?

Prett een Ënnerscheed ze maachen? Hei ass, wéis de starte kanns:

Post däi Bam oder deng Recolte: Hues du Uebst ze vill? Looss anerer et wëssen andeems de eng gratis Annonce op der Kaart derbäi setz.

Sich fir nobäi Annoncen op der Kaart: Obs de no Äppel, Prommen oder Plaz fir Beien ze ziichte sichs, entdeck wat et uechter Lëtzebuerg gëtt.

Deel d‘Plattform an dengem Netzwierk: Hëllef Noperen a Frënn kierfchen.lu ze entdecken andeems de et op Social Media a mëndlech deels.

Dësen Artikel baséiert op engem Gespréich tëschent dem Shashi Bhushan (Web Editor fir Foodsharing Luxembourg asbl) an dem Julie Plumer (Chargée du projet, Natura 2000 verbindet, Natur & Geopark Mëllerdall).

Photo credit: kierfchen.lu

A free online platform is helping Luxembourg residents rescue traditional orchard fruit from going to waste while building community connections.

What is Kierfchen And Why it Matters

Until the middle of the 20th century, meadow orchards were the main source of fruit throughout Luxembourg. Today, most of this locally grown, unsprayed fruit goes unharvested and unused. In response to this challenge, the online platform ‘Kierfchen’ was developed by Natur & Geopark Mëllerdall. The project is financed by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, with the goal of encouraging the use of this fruit and actively counteracting food waste at the local level. It is an interactive platform aiming to make it easy for anyone to share, find, or use orchard resources so that valuable fruit is consumed by our local communities.

How It Works

The main goal of kierfchen.lu is to bring together everyone involved with orchard meadows and related local food networks. It uses a free, interactive map to connect people across the country. Since Spring 2025, the map covers the entire country. Now, residents anywhere in Luxembourg can post listings or browse offers. Whether you have a single apple tree in your garden or manage a community orchard, you can participate. The platform connects people who have surplus fruit with those searching for local produce, creating a direct link between supply and demand.

Who Can Join

Anyone can use kierfchen.lu. No special qualifications are required. Smallholders, orchard owners, community groups, home gardeners, restaurants, and residents are all welcome! If you are looking to harvest, share, buy, swap, or collaborate around orchard fruit and related resources, this platform is for you. Even individuals with just one tree are encouraged to get involved and help reduce waste while strengthening local food networks.

What You Will Find on the Map

The platform hosts a wide variety of listings beyond just fruit. You will discover fruits and nuts available for harvest or purchase, regional producers, restaurants sourcing local ingredients, beekeepers, livestock keepers, harvesting equipment for loan or rent, conservation advice centers, and upcoming events. Kierfchen.lu also promotes the ‘Gielt Band’ campaign from the Ministry of Agriculture, where trees marked with a yellow ribbon signal that the fruit may be harvested by anyone. It is a one-stop resource for everything related to Luxembourg’s orchard landscape.

Currently, the platform is available in German, with translations into other languages in progress.

How to Get Involved 

Ready to make a difference? Here’s how you can start:

Post your tree or harvest offer: Have surplus fruit? Let others know by adding a free listing to the map.

Search the map for nearby listings: Whether you are looking for apples, plums, or beekeeping space, explore what is available across Luxembourg.

Share the platform with your network: Help neighbours and friends discover kierfchen.lu through social media and word of mouth.

This article is based on a conversation between Shashi Bhushan (Web Editor for Foodsharing Luxembourg asbl) and Julie Plumer (Chargée du projet, Natura 2000 verbindet, Natur & Geopark Mëllerdall).