UK to ask whether EU targets are realistic in new food waste inquiry
The Committee will look at the progress the European Commission has made toward its target of halving food waste in Europe by 2020, and is inviting written evidence on the issue by 27 September 2013.
It is currently estimated that up 89 million tonnes of food is wasted in Europe every year - according to Baroness Scott, Chair of the House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy this equates to 180kg of food thrown away by every man, woman and child across the EU.
Baroness Scott commented that such high waste is 'shocking'.
“The European Commission has set an ambitious target to reduce food waste. Reducing 89 million tonnes by half by 2020 would be a massive achievement. It remains to be seen, however, whether it can live up to that ambition," said Scott.
“Our inquiry will look at what can be done to help prevent food waste," she explained. "What the economic impact of significant reduction in food waste would be and how we can ensure any reduction in the wastage of food is measured accurately."
Some the questions that the inquiry is seeking responses on include:
- Why is food waste a significant issue to be tackled and how does it fit with wider objectives of sustainable, inclusive and smart economic growth?
- How should food waste be defined and how can it be monitored?
- What are the principle causes of food waste in the EU? What role can EU regulation and guidance play in preventing it?
- What economic drivers are in place to prevent food waste? What further efforts would be desirable?
- How realistic is the Commission’s aspiration to half food waste by 2020?
- What are the economic, social and environmental implications of food waste prevention?
