Reduce food Waste from the Hospitality sector

A report has been published by the Nordic Council of Ministers on food waste and provides a guide to help the hospitality sector reduce this waste.

• Canteens and restaurants in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark throw out 456,000 tons of food per year or 18kg per inhabitant per year.
• This only counts the food that could have been eaten, not, for example, potato peelings and animal bones.
• The amount of food that is thrown away in canteens is probably even greater than stated in the report.

The report includes practical advice such as:

• Plan the menus so that fresh ingredients can be used in several different dishes.
• Use leftovers for soups, sauces and vegetable stock.
• Offer large and small portions with or without a difference in price.

The Nordic Region aims to be a pioneer in the environment sector and to share its experiences with others. The green economy and resource efficiency are high on the agenda in Nordic co-operation generally, and are also one of the main points of the Norwegian Programme for the Presidency in the Nordic Council of Ministers 2012.