29 - 30 June 2016
São Paulo, Brazil

The Latin American edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit will be hosted in São Paulo on 29-30 June 2016. The summit comprises four conference sessions over 2 days.

Session Four: Tackling Food Waste

One of the most pressing sustainability issues in the food industry is waste. According to the FAO (United Nations), up to a third of food for human consumption is lost or wasted in the supply chain. At the same time, almost a billion people go hungry because of lack of food. In Brazil, it is estimated that 40,000 tons of food goes to trash each day. Apart from the social and economic implications of food waste, there are environmental impacts. Food waste in landfill is a major contributor to global warming, creating almost a quarter of methane gases. Food losses also represent a waste of resources in production, such as agricultural land, water, energy and inputs.

This session looks at approaches to reduce food losses in the supply chain, as well as food waste at the consumer level. What role can food companies and retailers play? How can consumers be encouraged to undertake responsible consumption? The role of packaging in waste reduction, as well as landfill diversion and food rescue programs, will be discussed. The session adjourns with the panel discussing consumption: what is the best way to encourage positive change in consumers?

Further Resources

Sustainable Foods Summit website