Since Foodsharing Luxembourg started in 2019 we have been closely following the government’s approach to food loss and waste, regularly presenting our political demands for reducing it and monitoring what actions they have – or have not – taken. Whilst we welcome that the government has acknowledged the problem, the measures set out in the National Action Plan for a Sustainable Food System 2026–2030, presented on the 2nd of April, fall far short of what is required. Binding measures are crucial, when it seems the government is relying primarily on raising awareness. At this critical juncture we question why there is no political will to concretely tackle food loss and waste? Currently, there is a complete lack of a dedicated anti food waste law. This is not only unambitious but irresponsible.
The government’s awareness raising measures would, at best, meet the already insufficient targets of the EU directive on reducing food waste: a reduction of just 10% in production and 30% in retail, restaurants and households by 2030. Agriculture remains completely excluded. This is also in clear contradiction to Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which aims to halve food waste in all sectors by 2030 – a target to which Luxembourg has also committed itself.
On 30 April, the government also rejected Motion 4542 by Joëlle Welfring against food waste, even though it was supported by the entire opposition. The arguments put forward by the governing parties during the debate on Motion 4542 in the Chamber reveal just how little awareness there is of the problem. Jeff Boonen claimed that raising awareness is sufficient, even though it has long been known that knowledge alone does little to change behaviour – a phenomenon known in behavioural research as the ‘attitude-behaviour gap’. Behavioural change takes time and resources. Yet it is precisely these that are lacking in times of multiple crises and growing social inequality. Luc Emering claimed there would be alleged negative consequences for supermarkets in France. There is no evidence to support this. On the contrary: the French law from 2016 demonstrably led to increased donations and reduced disposal costs, and now serves as an international model.
In times of global warming and resource scarcity, combating food loss and waste remains more urgent and important than ever. With around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions [1], food waste causes three times as much pollution as the entire global aviation industry [2]! At the same time, a third of food is thrown away. This means wasted working hours, water, transport and fertiliser.
The solutions have long been available, but the government refuses to implement them. Mandatory donations of food that are still fit for consumption in retail and production are already in place in France, Finland and the Czech Republic. Alternatively, donating businesses could be exempted from liability in order to increase donations, as is the case in Italy. Other effective measures include mandatory price reductions for food nearing its best-before or use-by date, as well as for goods that are not visually perfect, a ban on all-you-can-eat offers, mandatory discounts on pre-orders, and improvements to the reusable food container system.
Since our creation, Foodsharing Luxembourg volunteers have saved 1000 tonnes of food from the bin, which is a drop in the ocean of what could be done. With every year that passes, tonnes of food, resources and climate protection are lost. What is lacking is not knowledge, but political will. And that is precisely where this government is failing.