Decreased food waste means fewer donations to food bank

The amount of food donated to food banks has decreased by 8 percent annually over the past two years, mainly because Netherlands businesses are getting better and not wasting food. The Dutch Food Banks expect this decline to continue and are concerned.

“We see that our food supply will come under increasing pressure in the coming years, and poverty in the Netherlands is not decreasing,” said chairman Henk Staghouwer of Dutch Food Banks. “That is a worrying development.”

The amount received by food banks is declining mainly because the Netherlands is becoming increasingly adept at combating food waste. “This is partly due to suppliers and supermarkets’ improved planning, preventing products from reaching the end of their shelf life, and because products are marked down at the end of their shelf life.”

The Dutch Food Banks urge producers and suppliers to donate unsold products to food banks. “Too often, surplus food is discounted or even processed into biofuel, while it is actually of enormous value as healthy and varied food for people in need.”

The Dutch Food Banks estimate that approximately 150,000 people in the Netherlands rely on food aid.