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Doing More With Less: Cutting Food Loss and Waste in the EU and Its Impact on Food Security

Author

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  • George Philippidis
  • Beyhan de Jong
  • Robert M'barek
  • Heleen Bartelings

Abstract

In September 2025, the European Parliament and Council signed the law of the Revision of the EU waste framework directive, which includes also reductions for food loss and waste (FLW). This comes at a time of concern over the EU's strategic autonomy for its agrifood sector. Taking a cradle‐to‐grave approach, this paper combines official FLW statistics with recent advances in simulation modelling to quantify the impacts of two FLW cuts scenarios on EU food availability, affordability, and stability. Compared with a business‐as‐usual baseline, average EU household per capita food budget savings and self‐sufficiency of up to €192 and 0.82%, respectively, are observed, accompanied by falling average EU food production of up to 2%. With the inclusion of FLW behavioural market adjustment costs (taxes), average EU food producer price falls of up to 1% are lower than reported in previous studies, whilst in a handful of member states, consumer food prices rise marginally. This hitherto unforeseen outcome is a signal for anticipating and ensuring adequately tailored social protection schemes for the most vulnerable.

Suggested Citation

  • George Philippidis & Beyhan de Jong & Robert M'barek & Heleen Bartelings, 2026. "Doing More With Less: Cutting Food Loss and Waste in the EU and Its Impact on Food Security," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(1), pages 1411-1428, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:1:p:1411-1428
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70273
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