The Battle against Waste. How are we to Set about the Challenge of Food Wastage?

According to a study carried out in the USA in 2004, American homes as a whole waste 17 millions of tonnes of food each year and, over the same time period, the catering and fast-food industries and other retailers waste 27 million tonnes of foodstuffs. Across the Atlantic in Great Britain, it is said that 8 million tons of food and drink are wasted every year.
This is a “terrifying” finding, which no doubt applies in all the rich countries of the North, explains Annie Soyeux. The practice, linked to economic and health constraints, but also to cultural habits, is one we must fight, Soyeux insists, since the reduction of “food wastage (seen principally at the level of distribution and household consumption) is a major issue, offering under-exploited opportunities”.
After presenting the results of the main studies carried out on this subject in various countries, Annie Soyeux focuses on the first initiatives in France and abroad aimed at limiting this practice. She then proposes some strategic guidelines for civic action in France.