The National Zero Waste Council has released its updated strategy for preventing food waste in Canada. A key finding: More needs to be done to tackle waste along the food supply chain, encourage business and marketing innovators to find solutions, and improve the food donation system.
More than a third of the food we produce here in Canada never gets eaten, with half the waste on the supply side and the rest at home. And while we have many many food waste reduction initiatives in Canada, they are not integrated efficiently. Recommendations detailed in the report include:
- Having the federal government actively support a national food loss and waste
- reduction target of 50% by 2030
- Passing new regulations to ensure consumers know what “best before” labels mean and are used properly
- Improving how businesses and large institutions manage their food inventory
- Upgrading food service tracking and distribution
- Removing barriers to charitable organizations making use of leftover food
- Getting rid of financial, legal and policy obstacles to donating food
- Encouraging government, businesses, retailers, and community organizations to collaborate on reducing food waste
And about “best before” dates? Many of us assume it’s dangerous to eat food that’s past its best before date, but in most cases, these dates refer to food quality rather than safety. Many products that carry the dates don’t even need them.
Want to know more? Download the report here.
