Netherlands residents wasted 33 kilograms of food per person last year

Netherlands residents threw away an average of 33 kilograms of food per person last year. That is a kilogram less than in the previous measurement in 2019, but the decrease is slowing down, according to a study by the Nutrition Center. In 2019, food waste had decreased by 7 kilograms per person, NOS reports.

Preventing food waste is an essential step in combating climate change. The Netherlands aims to halve food waste in 2030 by 2015. That means a maximum of 21.6 kilograms of food waste per person in 2030.

For its study, the Nutrition Center looked at the organic waste of 110 households in 13 municipalities. The households were selected in a random sample.

According to the researchers, Netherlands residents throw away bread and pasta the most, followed by vegetables, fruit, potatoes, and dairy products. These products accounted for more than half of the total food waste.

The Nutrition Center is pleased that Netherlands residents wasted less food but is worried about the decrease slowing down. “There is still a lot of room for improvement, and a lot still needs to be done to achieve the target,” Lilou van Lieshout, a sustainable food expert at the Nutrition Center, told NOS. “But if we all throw away 250 grams of food less per week, we are already there.”

The Nutrition Center didn’t investigate why the decrease slowed down so much but did have suspicions. “The easiest gains have now been achieved, and more complex behavior is now needed to reduce waste further,” Van Lieshout said. “There is not one action that can be taken; the solution lies in a combination of habits.”

According to Esah Pals of Zero Waste Nederland, an organization committed to reducing waste and preventing food waste, the first step starts in the supermarket. “We often buy more than we need because, for example, there is a special, or we buy when we are hungry. Making a shopping list in advance and sticking to it can be very helpful.” Meal planning ahead of time so that you know exactly how much of each ingredient you need also helps.

Then it’s important to think carefully about what you buy and how you store it. Pre-cut food doesn’t last as long, for example. And tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers last longer stored outside the fridge.

The Nutrition Center stressed that consumers aren’t the only ones responsible for reducing food waste. Producers and supermarkets must also do their part, for example, by selling smaller portions and providing better shelf life information and storage instructions.