European Parliament, Brussels (BE), 4^th March 2024

At the beginning of March, the European Food Forum hosted a debate about food waste, its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, and potential solutions. It has been estimated that individuals contribute 130 kg of food waste annually, depleting vital resources such as water and energy, and contributing to 16% of EU greenhouse gas emissions as well as costing around 132 billion EUR.

In response, the European Commission has proposed measures to reduce food loss in processing and manufacturing by 10% and waste by 30% per capita at retail and consumption levels by 2030. The various solutions include “Too Good to Go” facilitating food collection in stores, while the “Aldi South Group” has implemented price reductions on products about to expire and expanded donation programmes. There are also education initiatives aimed at raising awareness among citizens about the impact of consumption habits. Within the food industry, strategies such as utilizing spent grains for plant-based beverages and promoting whole soya bean products offer more sustainable alternatives to minimise waste.

What these initiatives show is a growing collective effort to tackle food loss and food waste, fostering a culture of shared responsibility and stewardship, where every action, no matter how small, counts towards building a more sustainable food system.

Speakers:

Panel 1: Reducing food waste in manufacturing and key enablers for the transition towards more sustainable food systems

• Katie Carson: Director Corporate Affairs Food & Climate Policy, TetraPak
• Silvia Lofrese: Senior Manager Public Affairs, FoodDrinkEurope

Panel 2: Reducing food waste at retail and restaurants: Business Cases

• Hanna Eldh: Group Experience Marketing Manager, Electrolux

Group: Food Waste and Refrigeration

• Avik Mukhija – CEO, Freshflow
• Jana Villwock – Representative for the EU Office of ALDI SOUTH

Group

• Christophe Diercxsens – Global Public Affairs Director, Too Good

to Go

• Enrico Derflingher – President Euro-Toques International, Ambassador for Italian Cuisine

Panel 3: Consumer education and information: Key enablers to achieve food waste reduction.

• Elena Dinu – Advocacy and Development Director at the

Romanian Federation for Food Banks

• Angela Frigo – Secretary General EFBA European Food Banks Association

Chellie Pingree U.S. Representatives– Co-Founder Congressional Food Recovery Caucus

European Parliament, Brussels (BE), 20^th February 2024

In the middle of February, the European Food Forum held this event to discuss how digitalization is reshaping the agrifood value chain and explore the benefits and risks.

Digitalization is revolutionizing ways in which products are produced, processed, distributed, and purchased. This transformation brings with it a range of opportunities including increased efficiency, optiming use of resources and reducing waste. There are opportunities for greater connection between farmers and other actors in the value chain, leading to higher incomes and better livelihoods for farmers, and support for more sustainable farming practices, minimizing environmental impact. For citizens, there are apps to help with reservations and payments, access to additional information (e.g., QR codes). In contrast, however, digital skills are low in some sectors including farming and amongst older citizens. There are also concerns about privacy and security of information as well as the use artificial intelligence.

Thus, while the digitalization of the agrifood sector offers significant opportunities for improving efficiency andsustainability, it also presents challenges, not least in inclusivity. Navigating this digital transformation will require collaboration amongst stakeholders, investment in infrastructure and education, and a commitment to addressing issues of equity and privacy.

Speakers included:

Panel 1: Overview of the role and impact of the digitalization in the food environment

• Giacomo Mattino’ HoU Food, Retail, Health DG Growth EU Commission: Transition pathway for a more resilient, sustainable and digital agri-food ecosystem:
• Antonello Bonfante, Senior researcher ISAFOM di Portici (NA).
• Heinz Flatnitzer, Head of Emissions Value Management, dsm-firmenich, Sustell™ Use of data to simplify the complexity of measuring, validating, and improving the environmental sustainability.
• Claude Heyman – Aktina – Food scanner

Panel 2: Digitalisation in Food Consumption

• Diego Viarengo – Giallo Zafferano – Gastronomy in the Internet
• Pietro Paganini – “Food” The future of food with digitalization
• Marco Pierani – Euroconsumers

European parliament, Brussels (BE), 31^st January 2024

This event was held at the European Parliament to discuss implementation of green initiatives, sustainable practices, and moving forward with the “Farm to Fork Strategy”.

Nearly four years after the European Commission published this flagship strategy, and close to the 2024 European elections, farmers and other interest parties explored ecological transition in the agri-food sector, including sustainable use of pesticides, nature restoration, packaging waste, and sustainable food systems. Controversy around many of these topics, as well as their complexity, has hindered advancement with the “Farm to Fork Strategy, but so have external factors such as COVID-19, inflation, and the war in Ukraine.

Discussions at the European Food Forum highlighted a number of potential corrective measures, benefiting both farmers and consumers, which focused on clear dialogue, more innovations in economic, social, environmental, and food systems for greater sustainability, and protection of biodiversity.

‘Taking Stock of the Farm to Fork strategy: Reflecting, Rethinking, Rebuilding’ was carried out in collaboration with Europe Jacques Delors AISBL, one of the Jacques Delors family of think tanks created in early 2020.

Speakers included:

• Farmers: Rūdolfs Pulkstenis, Vice President, European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA)
• NGOs / Civil Society: Marta Messa, Secretary General Slow Food
• Processors: Geert Maesmans, President, EU Specialty Food Ingredients
• Retailers: Els Bedert, Director Product Policy & Sustainability, EuroCommerce
• R&I: Adam Adamek, Director of Innovation, EIT Food

With special remarks from:

• Els Bruggeman, Head Advocacy and Enforcement, Euroconsumers
• Patrick Pagani, Lead Coodrdinator – Senior Policy Advisor, Copa Cogeca
• Silvia Lofrese, Senior manager public affairs FoodDrinkEurope