Tasks and goals

Food is precious! It deserves being treated with care. Despite this, significant amounts of food are wasted or thrown away every day in Austria - during harvesting, transport, storage, further processing and consumption.

Very little of the food that ends up in the bin belongs there. Careful handling of food - in households as well as in food production, retail and catering - is urgently needed not only for financial reasons, but also out of ethical and social considerations.

Solutions are needed in all areas - let's tackle the challenge!

The Ministry of the Environment's "Food is precious!" initiative has set itself the goal of working closely with industry and businesses, consumers, local authorities and social organisations to achieve sustainable prevention and reduction of food waste.

What the initiative aims to achieve

• Reduction of avoidable food waste along the entire value chain.
• Raising awareness and sensitisation for the responsible handling of our food in order to achieve a sustainable reduction in food waste in all areas of life. This is realised in the form of intensive public relations work, school projects and cooperation with partners from business and society. The topic should be given a prominent and constant place on the political and social agenda. The "Food is precious!" initiative is intended to act as a forum and platform and as a unifying brand in public relations work. Communication focuses on the many examples of success and good ideas.
• Supporting processes and systems in the economy (food production, retail, catering, et cetera) that contribute to the sustainable reduction of food waste. The "Food is precious!" initiative aims to establish and expand such processes and systems in all areas of the economy.
• Support for projects to pass on food that is no longer needed to people in need and social institutions.
• Outstanding ideas and projects in all areas of life are honoured under the motto "Put a spotlight on the best examples".