ZeroW Combatting Food Waste at the holidays – and Year-Round

The holiday season is for togetherness, indulgent meals, and celebration. Unfortunately, it is also a peak time for food waste in households across Europe. The ZeroW project is shedding light on innovative solutions to tackle food waste during the holidays and throughout the year.

The Food Waste Challenge – zooming in on Denmark

The holidays are one of the most wasteful times of the year. According to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Danish households discard approximately 247,000 tons of food annually, accounting for 36% of the country’s total food waste. The retail sector follows closely, contributing 23% of Denmark’s food waste. A significant share of this waste occurs during holidays like Christmas, as households overbuy and overproduce food.

Food waste carries significant environmental and economic consequences. It wastes all the resources used in food production—land, water, energy, and labor. A 2024 report by the Danish Agriculture & Food Council shows growing awareness, with one in four Danes planning to reduce food waste this Christmas. However, six out of ten expect their habits to remain unchanged, highlighting the need for systemic action.

Collaborative Solutions for the Future

ZeroW believes that tackling food waste requires collaboration across sectors, including producers, retailers, and consumers. By working together and embracing innovation, we can create a sustainable future where resources are used responsibly, and food waste is minimized year-round.

What Can Be Done to Reduce Food Waste?

• Producers and Retailers: Smart Forecasting Producers and retailers face challenges in forecasting demand, often resulting in overproduction and food waste. Advanced technologies that analyze data, including past consumer patterns and weather conditions, can optimize stock management and reduce waste.

• Retail Initiatives: Communication and Collaboration Retailers play a critical role in food waste reduction. Many stores now promote discounted products nearing their sell-by dates or donate surplus to food banks and platforms like Too Good To Go. Initiatives like Wefood supermarkets sell surplus goods that are perfectly edible but cannot be sold in traditional stores.

• Ugly Foods and Consumer Awareness Retailers and supermarkets offer "ugly" fruits and vegetables—produce with minor cosmetic imperfections—at reduced prices. Campaigns like Too Good To Go’s "Mind the Date" educate consumers on the difference between "use by" and "best before" dates, helping them make informed decisions and reduce waste at home.

ZeroW: Innovating for Zero Food Waste

The EU aims to halve food waste by 2030, and the ZeroW project is leading the charge. ZeroW collaborates with 42 European partners to develop innovative solutions, including methodologies to measure food waste across the value chain and tools tested in real-world environments such as production facilities and supermarkets.

Through these initiatives, ZeroW is creating data-driven approaches, innovative living labs, and concrete policy recommendations for the European Commission to combat food waste at all levels.

Together, we can ensure that the joy of the holiday season is not overshadowed by waste, but instead becomes a model for sustainability and thoughtful consumption.