Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541426
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 19 NOVEMBER 2025 NEWS THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority (ERA) has opened a public consultation, running un- til 12 December 2025, to develop Malta's national Food Waste Pre- vention Programme. Households, businesses, and civil-society groups are invited to submit ideas, case studies, and in- novative solutions to reduce food waste across the full food supply chain. Contributions can include ways to improve supply-chain efficiency, promote food dona- tion, and implement technologi- cal solutions. All feedback will be considered in shaping the pro- gramme, and submissions can be made via publicconsultation.gov. mt or by email to era.policy@era. org.mt. EU Targets for Food Waste Reduction The consultation responds to the revised EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD), which introduc- es legally binding food-waste re- duction targets. Member states must achieve a 10 % reduction at processing/man- ufacturing and a 30 % per capita reduction at retail, food-service, and household levels by 2030. The directive also requires monitoring using a common methodology and measures to address behav- ioural change, supply-chain inef- ficiencies, and food redistribution. Food Waste in Malta and the EU Food waste remains a significant challenge. According to the EEA, Malta generated 86,295 tonnes of food waste in 2022, with house- holds accounting for 53 % and food services/restaurants 31 %. About 22 % of purchased food is wasted, and Eurostat figures for 2022 estimate 162 kg per inhab- itant. Studies also show that tourists produce nearly double the amount of municipal waste – mostly con- sisting of food and packaging waste – than the resident popu- lation. Across the EU, about 60 million tonnes of food are wasted annual- ly (≈130 kg per inhabitant), with households generating 53 %, pri- mary production 9 %, processing/ manufacturing 18 %, restaurants/ food services 12 %, and retail/dis- tribution 8 %. Food waste contrib- utes roughly 16 % of greenhouse gas emissions from the EU food system. Reducing it supports cli- mate action and improves food security. Causes of Food Waste Food waste occurs through- out the supply chain. Household causes include impulsive buying, inappropriate packaging, poor planning, and refusal to buy "ug- ly" produce. Confusing food date labels— "best before" (quality) and "use by" (safety)—also contribute; the European Commission esti- mates up to 10 % of annual waste arises from label misinterpre- tation. Manufacturers generate waste through overproduction, inefficient supply chains, and poor storage. Restaurants and food services contribute via oversized portions, overestimating guest numbers, and operational ineffi- ciencies. Food donation is consid- ered to be one of the most effec- tive ways to reduce unnecessary food waste. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Food waste plan to align with new EU targets