2,000 tons of food are thrown away in Serbia every day – what is the obstacle to donating the surplus?

Research by the Center for Environmental Improvement on food waste in Serbia showed that if all the food we throw away within a year were packed in bags and then in trucks, the column they would form would stretch from Subotica to Kragujevac. Although there is a large percentage of wasted food per capita in the European Union, the founder of the food bank “Vojvodina” Srđan Budmičić believes that it is necessary for Serbia to emulate the EU and as soon as possible adopt a law on the write-off of VAT that would facilitate food donation.

Almost half of the food produced in Europe ends up in the trash, while millions of citizens cannot afford quality meals.

More precisely, during one year in the European Union, 132 kilograms of food per inhabitant is thrown away.

The situation is similar in Serbia, according to research by the Center for Environmental Improvement on food waste in the country.

Eurostat on food waste in Europe

Eurostat data on food waste in the EU show that a total of 59.2 million tons of food waste is generated, which is equal to 132 kilograms per inhabitant.

Of that number, household waste accounts for 54 percent, or 72 kilograms per inhabitant.

Waste generated in food supply chains is 46 percent – 19 percent in the production of food products and beverages (25 kilograms per inhabitant), 11 percent in restaurants and food services (15 kilograms per inhabitant), eight percent in primary production (10 kilograms per inhabitant). .

The founder of the “Vojvodina” food bank, Srđan Budimčić, explains that these data show that the population is not sufficiently educated and does not know how much food is wasted as a household.

He states that the state, the non-governmental sector and the media should participate in education.

“We should not throw away surpluses, but use them. If we have food, we should look in the neighborhood to help people who are in need, and redirect that surplus to them,” Budimčić points out.

He explains that it is necessary to legally better regulate the way restaurants can donate food so that no waste is created.

“We, as the “Vojvodina” food bank, can accept food with a declaration and that is within the deadline, and we try to distribute it on time for the safety of the end users,” says Budimčić.

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Izvor: RTS