Food waste in Switzerland: national week kicks off (cross-border guide)

Context

Briefly

• About 30 million meals can be saved in a week
• Over 50 organizations promoting the event
• Initiatives from September 12 to 20 throughout Switzerland
• Average value of 600 francs wasted per year per person

Key Facts

• What: National Food Waste Week
• When: From September 12 to 20
• Where: Throughout Switzerland
• Who: foodwaste.ch and United Against Waste
• Amount: 600 francs of purchase value wasted per capita
• Quantity: 2.8 million tons lost along the supply chain

If for a whole week Swiss households decided not to throw away any food, the national balance sheet would record the saving of about thirty million meals. With this awareness-raising objective, the initiative promoted by the organizations foodwaste.ch and United Against Waste is launching. The event involves over fifty partner organizations and aims to draw the attention of the entire resident population to the value of daily food resources.

The calendar of local activities

From September 12 to 20, the program includes a dense series of appointments designed to involve consumers. Activities include Foodsave stands, cooking classes dedicated to recovering leftovers, thematic exhibitions, and various other participatory initiatives. Each of the participating organizations and companies will use their communication channels to show customers concretely how to make the most of food in everyday life, avoiding superfluous purchases and preventable waste.

Operational details

The involvement of economic sectors

The awareness campaign sees the active participation of several cantons, major retailers and national trade associations such as Gastrosuisse and Hotellerie Suisse. The collaboration between the public sector, large retailers and the catering sector is a central element in influencing consumption habits on a national scale, involving not only households but also canteens and restaurants.

The economic and environmental impact of waste

The data released by the promoters highlight an overall extent of food waste that cannot be overlooked by those who manage the domestic budget. Throughout the entire Swiss supply chain, which starts from agriculture to individual families through processing and distribution, 2.8 million tons of food are lost every year. Translated into individual figures, a single person throws about eighty kilos of food into the garbage every twelve months. This amount of food wasted corresponds to an average purchase value estimated at around six hundred francs per year per inhabitant, a significant cost that directly affects the financial management of household economies and the cost of living in general.

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

How to optimize daily spending

Participating in the week of initiatives also means adopting new strategies for managing household spending and refrigeration. To reduce waste and reduce household expenses, it is advisable to plan weekly meals before going to the supermarket, carefully checking the stocks in the pantry. Checking the expiration dates and learning to distinguish between the minimum storage period and the recommended consumption date allows you to avoid throwing away perfectly edible foods.

# Budget planning tools

Managing family economic resources and the cost of food expenditure in the best possible way allows you to optimise your monthly expenses. To learn more about spending trends and compare your standard of living with national averages, you can consult our guide dedicated to costo della vita in Switzerland and see how primary expenditure items affect your budget.

Source: swissinfo.ch