260 J. Szulecka et al.
most recent numbers for each country. Because of the differences in years and
changing food waste definitions and units of measurement, the numbers can
differ slightly from the comparative synthesis in 13.3.3.
13.4 Analysis
13.4.1 Food waste governance in Norway
Food waste has recently been identified as a very significant and pressing
problem in Norway. The ForMat project (2010–2015), a collaborative endeavour involving the food industry, research organisations and state agencies to
prevent food waste, estimated that food was wasted at all four stages of the value
chain (industry, wholesale, retail and households) and amounted to 355,000
tons in 2015, worth about NOK 20 billion (Stensgård & Hanssen, 2016). Food
wasted annually in Norway could potentially feed 900,000 people, and creates
emissions equal to those of 375,000 cars (Lindahl, 2016), totalling 978,000 tons
of CO 2 (Boffey, 2017). The distribution of food waste in the value chain is very
uneven, with 61% generated by households, 21% by producers, 1% by wholesalers and 17% by retailers (Stensgård & Hanssen, 2016).
The ForMat project reshaped the food waste debate in Norway with
extensive surveys of food waste in the food chain. Matvett, a non- profit
multi- stakeholder hub and the administrator of ForMat, worked with the
business sector, five ministries and Østfold Research (Østfoldforskning) to put
food waste on the agenda in Norway. This was a very important first step as
no statistics on food waste existed in Norway prior to ForMat. Although the
target of 25% reduction in food waste by the end of the project was not
reached (food waste levels in the project period fell by 12% (Stensgård &
Hanssen, 2016)), the ForMat project drew international interest, due to its
openness, methodologies and strong public–private collaboration. The data
collection was unique in the entire European context, with documented
measuring methods, and details on food waste quantities in the different stages
of the value chain.
The work of the ForMat network led the industry to prepare an Agreement
of Intent to reduce food waste, signed on 7 May 2015 (Regjeringen, 2015). The
Agreement was further developed and finalised on 23 June 2017 in the form
of an Industry Agreement on the reduction of food waste between five ministries
and a dozen industry organisations. The agreement had a main reduction
target of 50% by 2030, which was further subdivided into two sub- targets:
15% by 2020 and 30% by 2025 (Regjeringen, 2017). In parallel, the narrower
Cut Food Waste 2020 (KuttMatsvinn2020) is another initiative and result of
the ForMat collaboration, targeting the hospitality sector. It aims to cut food
waste by 20% by 2020 (NorgesGruppen, 2016).
Alongside the Industry Agreement, a parallel law- making and governance
design process with the aim of reducing food waste took place in the Norwegian Parliament. In 2016, a parliamentary committee asked the government
most recent numbers for each country. Because of the differences in years and
changing food waste definitions and units of measurement, the numbers can
differ slightly from the comparative synthesis in 13.3.3.
13.4 Analysis
13.4.1 Food waste governance in Norway
Food waste has recently been identified as a very significant and pressing
problem in Norway. The ForMat project (2010–2015), a collaborative endeavour involving the food industry, research organisations and state agencies to
prevent food waste, estimated that food was wasted at all four stages of the value
chain (industry, wholesale, retail and households) and amounted to 355,000
tons in 2015, worth about NOK 20 billion (Stensgård & Hanssen, 2016). Food
wasted annually in Norway could potentially feed 900,000 people, and creates
emissions equal to those of 375,000 cars (Lindahl, 2016), totalling 978,000 tons
of CO 2 (Boffey, 2017). The distribution of food waste in the value chain is very
uneven, with 61% generated by households, 21% by producers, 1% by wholesalers and 17% by retailers (Stensgård & Hanssen, 2016).
The ForMat project reshaped the food waste debate in Norway with
extensive surveys of food waste in the food chain. Matvett, a non- profit
multi- stakeholder hub and the administrator of ForMat, worked with the
business sector, five ministries and Østfold Research (Østfoldforskning) to put
food waste on the agenda in Norway. This was a very important first step as
no statistics on food waste existed in Norway prior to ForMat. Although the
target of 25% reduction in food waste by the end of the project was not
reached (food waste levels in the project period fell by 12% (Stensgård &
Hanssen, 2016)), the ForMat project drew international interest, due to its
openness, methodologies and strong public–private collaboration. The data
collection was unique in the entire European context, with documented
measuring methods, and details on food waste quantities in the different stages
of the value chain.
The work of the ForMat network led the industry to prepare an Agreement
of Intent to reduce food waste, signed on 7 May 2015 (Regjeringen, 2015). The
Agreement was further developed and finalised on 23 June 2017 in the form
of an Industry Agreement on the reduction of food waste between five ministries
and a dozen industry organisations. The agreement had a main reduction
target of 50% by 2030, which was further subdivided into two sub- targets:
15% by 2020 and 30% by 2025 (Regjeringen, 2017). In parallel, the narrower
Cut Food Waste 2020 (KuttMatsvinn2020) is another initiative and result of
the ForMat collaboration, targeting the hospitality sector. It aims to cut food
waste by 20% by 2020 (NorgesGruppen, 2016).
Alongside the Industry Agreement, a parallel law- making and governance
design process with the aim of reducing food waste took place in the Norwegian Parliament. In 2016, a parliamentary committee asked the government