Food waste in Berlin: How Motatos is fighting against it!

Food waste in Berlin: How Motatos is fighting against it!

Food waste is an issue that concerns us all, especially in Germany. A whopping 11 million tons of food are thrown away every year in this country - many of which are still good and edible. Not only is this a disgrace, but it also has a significant impact on our environment. According to a report by Berlin Live Waste is particularly pronounced in large cities, which makes the problem even more urgent.

One company that is cleverly tackling this problem is the online supermarket Motatos. Founded in Stockholm in 2014, it is now also active in Germany and Austria and sells rescued food - many of which have expired best-before dates, cosmetic flaws or are overproduced. The managing director of Motatos in Germany and Austria, Dominique Ertl, describes her company as an important point of contact for food that does not make it onto the shelves of traditional supermarkets. The range ranges from everyday groceries to unusual small brand products, although fresh goods such as fruit and vegetables are currently not available.

Awareness and education are the be-all and end-all

Every purchase at Motatos is not only an opportunity for bargain hunters, but also a contribution to reducing food waste. Ertl emphasizes the need for education about food and the proper understanding of best-before dates. The best before date means that products retain their quality until this date. However, if you ignore the information and simply throw away products when the best-before date has expired, you will ultimately not only harm the environment, but also your own wallet.

Older generations in particular often lack knowledge about sustainable consumption. Education in this area could work wonders, Ertl continued. It also points out that food waste is responsible for 8-10% of global greenhouse gases. By storing things properly and throwing away less, consumers can dramatically reduce their carbon footprint.

Policies and EU initiatives

But politics is also called upon. In the EU, 60 million tons of food are wasted every year - that's worth 132 billion euros. In addition to other measures, Ertl is also calling for legally binding targets for reducing food waste. This not only affects production, but also trade and private households. In a recent initiative, the EU plans to reduce waste in food processing and manufacturing by 20% and in retail and household waste by 40% by 2030, as Mototos reported.

These goals were originally intended to fall short of the 50 percent target of the UN sustainability agenda, but more ambitious plans are already being discussed in the European Parliament. In July 2023, the Commission presented a proposal to revise the Waste Framework Directive to, among other things, reduce food waste.

In order to promote the implementation of these measures, it would be conceivable for companies to be required to report on food losses as well as to donate or resell surplus food. A proposal that could advance the circular economy. Consumers should also be better informed in their purchasing decisions and learn to trust their senses more instead of relying solely on the best before date.

The big question remains: can we create real change together? The signs are good when consumer education and political initiatives go hand in hand. A world without food waste is more than a pipe dream – it could be within reach.