Each Bulgarian throws away an average of 96 kilograms of food per year. In 2023, the total amount of food waste in the country reached 617 thousand tons, according to Eurostat data presented at the launch of a new national survey by “Ipsos“.
For comparison, the average amount in the European Union is 129 kilograms per person for 2024, when 57.9 million tons of food waste were generated in the community. Data for Bulgaria for 2024 are not yet available, so the comparison is between the Bulgarian results for 2023 and the European results for 2024.
Half of households have thrown away food
The “Ipsos“ survey was conducted on behalf of the Bulgarian Food Bank and “Fantastico“. It shows that 51% of households have thrown away food in the last 30 days, and 25% do so at least once a week. At the same time, 63% of respondents say that they are making active efforts to reduce the amount of food thrown away.
In half of the cases, the reason is spoilage of the products. In a third of cases, food was thrown away because too much was prepared, and just as often it was not consumed on time. A quarter of the products were forgotten.
Among the habits that lead to more waste are shopping beyond what is actually needed, being misled by promotions and buying without a pre-prepared list.
Households are the largest source of waste
Households account for 43% of food waste in Bulgaria. This is followed by food production and processing with 25%, restaurants with 22% and primary production with 10%. The data covers both edible food and inedible parts included in the food waste measurement.
Tsanka Milanova from the Bulgarian Food Bank pointed out that edible food that is no longer needed can be offered to relatives or neighbors, as well as to social kitchens.
„The easiest and fastest way is to offer it to your relatives or neighbors.“She also drew attention to the difference between the markings on the packaging. With the „best before“ date, there may be a change in taste or consistency, while the „best before“ date is related to food safety and should not be taken in the same way.
Campaign to encourage food donation
The „Kilogram of Kindness“ campaign will be held on November 28 and 29 in 10 “Fantastico“ supermarkets. Customers will be able to donate products of their choice, and the retail chain has committed to adding another 10 tons of food to the Bulgarian Food Bank.
Sources: bnrnews.bg, 24chasa.bg