Food waste prevention pilot in Warsaw proves successful

The city intends to carry it on in 2022

On 6 October, the City of Warsaw announced the results of a two-month food waste prevention pilot in municipal markets. According to their calculations, no fewer than 3 tons of food was saved from going to waste for the period – a result which is so encouraging for the Polish capital, that it intends to continue it in 2022.

The interest in the prevention of food waste in Warsaw is growing

According to the United Nations, as much as 1/3 of the world's food production is wasted every year and in Poland alone, this waste equals about 5 million tons. To revert this negative status quo, the Capital City of Warsaw has carried out a pilot project of collecting unsold food at city markets. In the few weeks of August and September, almost 3 tons of vegetables and fruit were saved, as city authorities inform.

The pilot was carried out in three markets - Wolumen, Hale Mirowskie and Targowisko Bemowo. There, volunteers collected fruit and vegetables which were deemed good for eating but not for sale, sorted them and distributed them where needed, saving them from going to the bin. The collected products thus went to charity organisations supporting the homeless and other people in need, helping to resolve another issue that the capital is fighting – food poverty.

The pilot was more than successful, authorities believe, but this is so thanks to all parties participating in the process - SOS Food Bank as the organiser, sellers who demonstrated cooperation and volunteers.

Moreover, each day of activities attracted more and more volunteers who shared their knowledge about food waste. At the end of the project, there seemed to be a huge demand for such activities which prompted the city to decide to continue them next year.