The Norwegian Agreement on Reduction of Food Waste
Every year, an estimated 355.000 tons of food is thrown away in Norway. Food waste equals poor resource efficiency and is an environmental and economic issue. The Norwegian government has worked together with the food industry to reduce food waste since 2010. In 2017, 5 ministries and 12 sector organizations entered into an agreement to reduce food waste. The agreement entails a commitment to reduce food waste by 50 percent within 2030, divided into sub-targets of a 15 percent reduction by 2020 and a 30 percent reduction by 2025. The agreement comprises a range of obligations aimed at preventing and reducing food waste, as well as providing increased knowledge of the extent and causes of such waste.
Preliminary results show a 14 percent reduction of food waste per person between 2010 and 2016. This is the equivalent of 11,5 kg per person per year, which means that we are en route to reaching the first sub-goal of a 15 percent reduction within 2020. The agreement to reduce food waste constitutes a ground-breaking cooperation in Norwegian waste policy, and similar models will be considered in other areas, such as textiles. To date, more than 90 companies representing the entire food value chain have committed to the goals of the agreement. By engaging all sectors and the entire food value chain, the agreement ensures that food waste is not displaced from one part of the food chain to another.
