ConPolicy
Kontakt

De Jong, B. et al.Assessing the economic, social and environmental impacts of food waste reduction targets – A model-based analysis

Recommended reading

Authors:
Beyhan De Jong, Kirsten Boysen-Urban, Valeria De Laurentiis, George Philippidis, H. Bartelings, Lucia Mancini, Fabrizio Biganzoli, Esther Sanye Mengual, Serenella Sala, Jesus Lasarte Lopez, Bartlomiej Rokicki & Robert M'Barek

Release date:
July 2023

Publication:
Publications Office of the European Union, Joint Research Centre, JRC133971, Luxembourg

Halving food waste by 2030 is an ambitious target of the Sustainable Development Goals, echoed by the Farm to Fork Strategy within the European Green Deal. This report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the economy-wide implications for different food waste reduction targets. The study utilizes the further adapted computable general equilibrium model MAGNET and employs a range of sustainability indicators to analyse the economic, social, and environmental impacts associated with the reduction of food waste. A bottom-up analysis based on life cycle assessment is conducted as an additional approach to assess the environmental implications of achieving the food waste reduction targets. The results show that despite income reductions in the food chain as a consequence of the declining demand, positive effects in other economic areas offset these losses. Additionally, food waste reduction is expected to yield substantial environmental benefits, as well as increase food affordability and financial savings for households.

Link to publication