264 J. Szulecka et al.
13.4.3 Food waste governance in Denmark
According to the Danish Ministry of Environment, Danes throw away
700,000 tons of edible food annually (Gadd, 2017). Danish retailers create
45,676 tons of food waste per year (Halloran et al., 2014), while households
are responsible for about half of the total amount (Kjær & Werge, 2010).
Actions aiming to reduce food waste in Denmark started largely as a consumer movement, led by the influential activist Selina Juul and the movement
‘Stop Wasting Food’ (Stop Spild af Mad), established in 2008 (Stop Spild Af
Mad, 2018). It is considered the largest European non- profit consumer movement against food waste, and is strongly supported by Danish citizens, as well
as Members of the European Parliament, Members of the Danish Parliament,
top Danish chefs and food personalities (Halloran et al., 2014).
Danish food waste figures were higher than the EU average (Figure 13.2)
but have fallen sharply in the last decade. The trade magazine Dansk Handelsblad reported that Denmark is the leading country in the EU regarding the
number of initiatives to limit food waste (FUSIONS, 2015). NGOs, retailers,
the hospitality sector, authorities, industry and consumers are all participating
in various actions to cut food waste (FUSIONS, 2016). In response to this
development, Denmark’s Prime Minister put the food waste problem on the
political agenda. In 2011 the Ministry of the Environment established a public–private partnership called ‘Initiative Group Against Food Waste’ to
exchange information and work together on food waste reduction. In the
same year, a ‘Charter on Less Food Waste’ was signed by different ministries
and industry representatives. This can be seen as an example of industry selfregulation through a voluntary agreement on food waste. In 2013 the Danish
Consumer Council initiated a consumer awareness campaign on food waste
(Halloran et al., 2014).
The civil movement’s success was based on its wide societal resonance,
partnerships and cooperation with both the authorities and the private sector.
It also expanded its links with academia, with Selina Juul initiating the first
think tank in the world dedicated to food waste prevention. Many public and
industry initiatives were developed together with NGOs (ThinkEatSave,
2015). In recent years, innovative applications have been developed in
Denmark to fight food waste (including YourLocal, ReFood, Green Menu
Planner, etc.). A Danish humanitarian NGO opened Wefood, the first food
waste supermarket.
Between 2010 and 2015, Denmark’s food waste was reduced by 25%
(translating to an economic saving of DKK 4.4 billion). This was considered a
European record, followed only by the United Kingdom’s reduction of 21%
between the years 2008 and 2013 (FUSIONS, 2016).
13.4.3 Food waste governance in Denmark
According to the Danish Ministry of Environment, Danes throw away
700,000 tons of edible food annually (Gadd, 2017). Danish retailers create
45,676 tons of food waste per year (Halloran et al., 2014), while households
are responsible for about half of the total amount (Kjær & Werge, 2010).
Actions aiming to reduce food waste in Denmark started largely as a consumer movement, led by the influential activist Selina Juul and the movement
‘Stop Wasting Food’ (Stop Spild af Mad), established in 2008 (Stop Spild Af
Mad, 2018). It is considered the largest European non- profit consumer movement against food waste, and is strongly supported by Danish citizens, as well
as Members of the European Parliament, Members of the Danish Parliament,
top Danish chefs and food personalities (Halloran et al., 2014).
Danish food waste figures were higher than the EU average (Figure 13.2)
but have fallen sharply in the last decade. The trade magazine Dansk Handelsblad reported that Denmark is the leading country in the EU regarding the
number of initiatives to limit food waste (FUSIONS, 2015). NGOs, retailers,
the hospitality sector, authorities, industry and consumers are all participating
in various actions to cut food waste (FUSIONS, 2016). In response to this
development, Denmark’s Prime Minister put the food waste problem on the
political agenda. In 2011 the Ministry of the Environment established a public–private partnership called ‘Initiative Group Against Food Waste’ to
exchange information and work together on food waste reduction. In the
same year, a ‘Charter on Less Food Waste’ was signed by different ministries
and industry representatives. This can be seen as an example of industry selfregulation through a voluntary agreement on food waste. In 2013 the Danish
Consumer Council initiated a consumer awareness campaign on food waste
(Halloran et al., 2014).
The civil movement’s success was based on its wide societal resonance,
partnerships and cooperation with both the authorities and the private sector.
It also expanded its links with academia, with Selina Juul initiating the first
think tank in the world dedicated to food waste prevention. Many public and
industry initiatives were developed together with NGOs (ThinkEatSave,
2015). In recent years, innovative applications have been developed in
Denmark to fight food waste (including YourLocal, ReFood, Green Menu
Planner, etc.). A Danish humanitarian NGO opened Wefood, the first food
waste supermarket.
Between 2010 and 2015, Denmark’s food waste was reduced by 25%
(translating to an economic saving of DKK 4.4 billion). This was considered a
European record, followed only by the United Kingdom’s reduction of 21%
between the years 2008 and 2013 (FUSIONS, 2016).