Austrians Waste 100 Euros of Food Monthly, WWF Calculates

Austrians are throwing away an estimated 100 euros worth of food every month, a calculation by the environmental organization WWF reveals. The average household discards about 14 kilograms of food monthly, with fruits, vegetables, and bread being the most frequently wasted items. More expensive products like meat and fish are less likely to end up in the trash.

Dominik Heizmann of the WWF highlighted that food waste not only harms the environment and climate but also imposes significant costs on households. "Anyone who throws away less saves money and conserves valuable resources," he stated. The organization estimates that over 1.2 million tons of food are wasted annually in Austria. Of this, around 570,000 tons come from agriculture, processing, trade, and catering, while private households contribute an additional 685,000 tons.

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The results show that food waste not only burdens the environment and climate but also causes noticeable costs for households. Anyone who throws away less saves money and conserves valuable resources.

The WWF warns that this waste contributes to rising food prices, as the costs associated with producing, transporting, storing, and disposing of uneaten food are passed along the entire value chain. To combat this, the WWF has declared May 26th the "Day of Food Rescue" and is advocating for greater education in schools about the value of food and waste prevention methods. They also demand transparent monitoring of food waste from farm to fork, along with binding reduction targets and improved conditions for food donations.

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From agriculture to households, enormous amounts of edible food are still wasted. Therefore, more transparency about food waste, binding reduction targets, and better framework conditions for food donations are needed.