Food waste is an issue that affects all aspects of society in Ireland – producers, growers, retailers, hospitality services, and consumers. Everyone along the chain, from farm to fork, contributes to food waste. Wasted food is a missed opportunity to help those who experience food poverty.

The EPA’s Stop Food Waste programme aims to promote changes in behaviour that lead to food waste prevention. Since its inception in 2009, the programme has been raising awareness, engaging communities and small businesses, and building capacity for food waste prevention in society. This is achieved through a combination of education, the provision of easy-to-use information, training, local champions, and through the example of peers. The programme goes beyond education and awareness to empower consumers to reduce food waste. A key driver of this is the Stop Food Waste Challenge.

As a leader in green food production, Ireland has the potential to be a leader in tackling food waste by creating and showcasing new and innovative solutions to reduce food waste. Stop Food Waste is also engaging with larger businesses, in partnership with Origin Green, to prevent food waste along the food supply chain by:

• Promoting innovative food waste prevention solutions
  
  
• Implementing technical and behavioural interventions to reduce food waste
  
  
• Gathering and sharing reliable and accurate food waste information to identify areas for improvement and to measure progress.

By signing the Food Waste Charter, together we can build on existing good practice and a strong political will to take effective actions towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3:

“By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.”

Having an efficient food system will improve the financial performance of businesses and householders, and help those who struggle on a daily basis to put food on the table.

Other Origin Green Partners