CGF Sustainability Director: COVID-19 has “Increased Consumer Awareness Around Food Waste”

In the article, entitled “How consumers are stepping up to the plate on cutting food waste,” Ignacio discusses some of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global problem of food waste, an enormous environmental, social, and economic problem that impacts every single aspect of the supply chain. Lockdowns and labour shortages contributed to waste worldwide, he writes:

“Consider also that, in an industry reliant on immigrant workers, physical restrictions imposed during the pandemic have disrupted – and will continue to disrupt – the availability of certain fruits and vegetables, given that the workers who usually do the labour-intensive planting of crops are unable to get to the right locations to do the job. Furthermore, while many businesses successfully adapted their supply chains to keep business moving in the middle of the pandemic, restrictions on movement meant an increase in transportation costs for raw products, as well as an increase in carbon footprint.”

The article also discusses the role of collaborative efforts, especially that of the CGF’s Food Waste Coalition of Action, to address this problem by taking immediate action that will drive long-term results:

“So, what lies ahead in the battle against food waste? Well, as a coalition we have two key challenges. The first is to be the leading voice in raising awareness of the issue. Our members will be using their voices and influence on the global stage to help drive positive change. Second, we must represent the benchmark for positive global action, using the knowledge we gained from addressing Covid to inform the relentless pursuit of our commitment to halve food loss across our supply chains and production lines by 2030.”

For more details about the CGF’s actions against food waste, visit www.tcgffoodwaste.com.