Dutch households are wasting less food, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Last year, people threw away an average of 25.5 kilos of solid food per person. At the previous measurement in 2022, this figure was still 33.4 kilos. The organisation has been tracking household food waste every three years since 2010.
The Netherlands aims to halve food waste by 2030 compared with 2015 levels. At that time, each person wasted 36 kilos of food. This means waste has fallen by almost 30 per cent over the past decade. State Secretary Silvio Erkens (LVVN) welcomed the progress. “It is good to see that we are wasting less and less at home, because every bite counts.”
Major environmental impact
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre adopts a more cautious tone. “We are well on our way, but extra steps are needed in the coming years to reach the goal,” said Lilou van Lieshout, a sustainability expert at the organisation.
Bread, vegetables, fruit, potatoes and dairy products make up the largest share of food waste in Dutch households. Together, these items account for more than half of the total weight.
Food waste has a significant environmental impact. “All that food is grown, processed, transported, cooled and produced,” the Nutrition Centre noted. Reducing waste helps cut greenhouse gas emissions, as well as land and water use.
Cutting food waste can also save money. In 2025, around 7 per cent of all food purchased was thrown away. According to the Nutrition Centre, this equals about 100 euros per person each year. “So you can save this amount by not throwing away food.”
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
