End Food Waste Australia (EFWA) has announced impressive progress in the fight against food waste, with a new report revealing that businesses – including caterers, manufacturers, and major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths – who are part of the Australian Food Pact – have reduced their overall food waste by 13% since 2022.
This milestone is part of a broader effort to make Australia’s food system more productive, resilient, and sustainable – and halve food waste by 2030.
But while real progress is being made, Australia still discards 7.6 million tonnes of food each year – enough to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground ten times over. Meanwhile, millions of Australians regularly struggle to access nutritious meals during a cost-of-living-crisis.
Australian Food Pact Big Wins
Released today, the 2024 Australian Food Pact Impact Report offers a comprehensive snapshot of food waste dynamics across leading food producers, manufacturers, and retailers. The Australian Food Pact – launched by EFWA in 2021 – calls on signatories to follow a ‘Target, Measure, Act’ approach: setting goals, collecting data, trialling innovative solutions, and sharing best practices.
The new impact report demonstrates significant progress in the last three years, including an estimated 505,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions avoided (this would be the same as taking 210,000 cars off the road for a year).
Key outcomes from the new report include:
Overall Drop in Food Not Sold and More Food Repurposed
Food not sold dropped by 2% (approximately 9,000 tonnes), even as total food handled increased by 19%. Three-quarters (76%) of unsold food is now being repurposed – donated, used for animal feed, or transformed into new products.
Reduction in Food Waste
A 13% decrease in total food waste among Pact Signatories from 2022 to 2024 (about 16,000 tonnes). The share of waste that was still edible dropped from 92% to 75%, meaning fewer perfectly good items are being discarded.
254 Million Meals for People in Need
A total of 254 million meals have been donated to food rescue organisations in the last three years by Pact Signatories, helping to feed those who need it most. Partnerships – such as the one between Simon George & Sons (fruit and vegetable wholesaler) and FareShare (food rescue charity) – have redirected surplus fresh produce to create thousands of healthy meals.
Less Food Going to Landfill
Waste to landfill more than halved since 2022, reflecting a substantial change in how businesses manage unsold food.
Economic Savings
Cutting 16,000 tonnes of food waste saved Pact Signatories a combined $57 million (by avoiding costs for unsold food and disposal). Signatories also avoided $2 million in landfill levies (government fees for waste sent to landfill).
Reduced Emissions / Climate Benefits
About 505,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions were prevented.
“These outcomes underscore the difference we can make when industry collaborates,” EFWA Acting Director Industry Action Sam Oakden said. “Pact signatories are demonstrating real leadership by reducing surplus and repurposing unsold food. But there is more work ahead if Australia is to reach its target of halving food waste by 2030.”
Looking Ahead
“The Australian Food Pact is driving progress. But to fully capitalise we need more businesses to join the fight,” Mr Oakden said. “By encouraging more companies to sign up to the Pact, and uniting government at all levels, industry, and the community sector, we can build a stronger, more sustainable food system. This will benefit everyone – people, the planet, and businesses alike.”
For more information about the Australian Food Pact:
www.endfoodwaste.com.au/australian-food-pact/
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