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Over 180,000 tons of food wasted yearly in Moldova, experts

Moldovan citizens throw away approximately 180,000 tons of food products every year. This is while every fourth person in rural areas cannot afford to eat enough and suffers from hunger, according to data presented by economist Veaceslav Ioniță.

Even though more than half of the population in the Republic of Moldova struggles to afford food, we continue to be wasteful. The situation has improved slightly; previously, we had a food waste loss of 76 kilograms per citizen, which has now reduced to 71 kilograms. However, the country still discards approximately 180,000 tons of food yearly, equivalent to 3,000 train cars. Currently, the food bank can only recover about 0.15% of the products thrown away; from 700 kilograms of edible food, it manages to recuperate just 1 kilogram.

According to estimates by Veaceslav Ioniță, the largest contributors to food waste are ordinary consumers, who account for 40% of total waste. The production sector generates another 25%, processors contribute 20%, and the commercial sector accounts for the remaining 15%.

We are losing food at every step of the production chain. A significant 40% of all food produced is wasted after it is purchased and brought home. In developed countries, although, unfortunately, they waste large amounts of food, the financial burden is less severe as food products make up only 10-15% of their budgets. In contrast, families in Moldova spend 35% of their budgets on food, with an additional 5% going towards food that ultimately ends up in the trash.

To combat food waste, every citizen should follow a few simple guidelines, according to Ana Ceban from the Diaconia Social Mission. Recommended practices include freezing leftover food, creating shopping lists before shopping to minimize waste, donating edible food that is leftover from meals, and sharing with friends and family. Additionally, portioning food according to the number of participants at a meal can help reduce waste and save money.

Globally, Greece leads the list of food waste, with over 142 kilograms of food discarded per capita, followed by Malta at 129 kilograms.

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