News

Luxembourg, 12th March 2025

On 19 February 2025, the European Union reached a provisional agreement on the first binding targets to reduce food waste in the history of the EU and globally. These envisage a reduction of 10% in manufacturing and by 30% in retail, restaurants and households by 2030. But these targets are incompatible with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which is to halve food waste by 2030. Foodsharing Luxembourg calls for Luxembourg to go beyond these minimum requirements and take a pioneering role in the fight against food loss and waste.

The urgency of action is undisputed: Representatives of all political parties and experts agreed even before the last national elections that more must be done. This was evident at our panel discussion on 28 September 2023, where experts such as Dr. Rachel Reckinger (University of Luxembourg), Estelle Flammang (on.perfekt) and Svenja Zelder (IBLA) discussed concrete solutions together with political representatives. In addition, the national strategy for adapting to the consequences of climate change, presented by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity on 7 February 2025, includes 131 measures, including the reduction of food waste. Now it is important to follow up these words with decisive action.

Foodsharing Luxembourg presents 10 concrete measures aimed directly at advising the government, in order to significantly reduce food waste along the entire value chain through its own legislative text. This list of demands is supported by the organisations Etika, Frères des Hommes, Foodsharing Akademie by foodsharing e.V., microtarians, Greenpeace Luxembourg, the platform Meng Landwirtschaft and Transition Minett. “The proposed EU requirements are not enough. Luxembourg has the opportunity to lead the way and set ambitious national targets to reduce food loss and waste and to take effective concrete measures,” says Daniel Waxweiler, European Climate Pact Ambassador and member of Foodsharing Luxembourg.

Link to political demands: https://foodsharing.lu/political-demands/

Foodsharing Luxembourg calls on the national government to finally introduce a law with decisive measures against food loss and waste. Tackling food loss and waste is not only a sustainability imperative, but also an effective measure to curb global warming and conserve resources. The time to act is now.

In the second half of 2024, Foodsharing Luxembourg proudly celebrated its 5th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in the mission of the association to reduce food loss and waste. What began as a small group of friends meeting in December 2018 to brainstorm ideas has now grown into a vibrant, volunteer-driven movement with 825 members.

Founded in August 2019 with just seven members, the association quickly gained traction and established itself as a key player in the fight against food loss and waste in Luxembourg. Since its inception, Foodsharing Luxembourg has successfully implemented various initiatives, including the highly effective Foodsaving and Foodsharing Points projects. These initiatives have proven to be a success, despite initial skepticism and challenges, helping to redistribute more than 923 tonnes of food.

“We are incredibly grateful to all our active members, as well as the brilliant shops, partners, and funders who have supported us over the past five years,” said Daniel Waxweiler, co-founder. “Our growth and success would not have been possible without their dedication and commitment to our mission.”

To mark the occasion, Foodsharing Luxembourg hosted a celebration event in September 2024 at Batiment IV in Esch-Alzette, where members gathered to celebrate the milestone. The event featured workshops, lively discussions, music, and, of course, cooking with food leftovers – all reflecting the core values of sustainability and community that have defined the organisation since its founding.

The future: a national strategy against food waste

According to Eurostat 147 kg of food is wasted per person per year in Luxembourg [1]. Foodsharing Luxembourg believes that our responsibility to combat food waste extends beyond just reducing immediate waste – it’s about preserving resources for future generations.

As the organisation looks ahead, Foodsharing Luxembourg continues to push for greater change on a national level. “While we’re proud of our achievements, we remain committed to advocating for a national strategy and legislation against food loss and waste,” said Hannah Proffitt-Perchard, Communication circle Representative. “Our biggest wish for our 5th anniversary is to see the government take more decisive action in addressing food loss and waste, which remains a significant issue both locally and globally.”

Minimise food waste during the holiday season

The end-of-year celebrations often bring large quantities of food, whether at family gatherings, company parties, or festive events. To help reduce waste, plan ahead by having plenty of containers on hand to store leftovers. Encourage guests to take some home, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Small actions like this can make a big difference in minimising food waste during the holiday season.

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20220925-2