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EPA has five easy steps for people to reduce food waste and save money

Date released: February 28, 2025

  • Households in Ireland are wasting on average €700 a year through food waste.
  • 1st March is National Stop Food Waste Day and the EPA calls on people to take action to reduce their food waste.
  • Almost half a kilo of food is wasted per person every day in Ireland.

1 March 2025:  Saturday 1st March is National Stop Food Waste Day, and the EPA is calling on people to follow the simple tips in the Stop Food Waste Pocket Guide to help reduce food waste and save money. The Stop Food Waste Pocket Guide helps you identify the food you are wasting and understand why, and has very practical tips on food planning, shopping, cooking and using your food, and food storage tips.

Over 220,000 tonnes of food are wasted by Irish households each year. Food waste is responsible for up to 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions globally. By reducing our food waste, not only are we taking an important climate action, but are also saving money - on average €700 a year spent by households on food that is wasted.

David Flynn, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability commented:

“Homes and businesses across Ireland are wasting too much food. Food waste is a lost nutritional opportunity and an avoidable pressure on our environment. The EPA’s practical guide will help you to reduce your household’s food waste.  For business owners, signing up to the Food Waste Charter is a positive statement that your business is serious about tackling food waste, which has climate impacts and costs your business.”

Food sector businesses have an important role to play too, as nearly two thirds of food waste in Ireland is generated from businesses. The first step to reducing food waste is to measure food waste across your business - see Measuring Food Waste - Food Waste for helpful tips. Food sector businesses can support National Stop Food Waste Day by signing the Food Waste Charter, a national voluntary commitment by businesses who pledge to measure their food waste and take action to reduce it.

Alan Dillon TD Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Circular Economy said:

“Valuable time, energy and resources are needed to produce the food that we consume. By reducing food waste, we are helping to protect and use our resources wisely, as well as supporting efforts to combat climate change.  We all have a role to play in preventing food waste and I urge householders and businesses to follow the EPA’s practical advice and tips on how to reduce food waste and help save money.”

EPA food waste prevention expert Odile Le Bolloch explains:

“We all waste food and the reasons are different for everyone: we buy too much, we prepare too much, plans change, or leftovers go off in the fridge. Day-to-day it might not seem like much, but when added up, it is costing you money. It takes less than 10 minutes to read our Stop Food Waste Pocket Guide and these small, manageable changes will help cut your food waste and your food bill!”

Whether you're changing your food waste habits by following the Stop Food Waste Guide, or as a committed business signing up to the Food Waste Charter, the EPA wants to hear how you get on. Share your actions on social media by using the hashtag #SFWDay2025 and tagging @stopfoodwaste.ie and @EPAIreland.

ENDS

Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office:

053-91 70770 (24 hours) and media@epa.ie

Notes to editor:

  • Stop Food Waste (https://stopfoodwaste.ie) is the national public campaign for reducing household food waste, led by the Environmental Protection Agency. The campaign provides information and tips to make the most of food and avoid wasting it through the website and on social media (Instagram, Facebook and X).
  • The Stop Food Waste Guide is the go-to resource for useful tips on planning, shopping, storage and cooking food that can avoid food waste at home.
  • National Stop Food Waste Day is marked each year on 1st The EPA is leading a National Stop Food Waste campaign from 1st to 7th March 2025.
  • Follow the National Stop Food Waste 2025 campaign:
  • Instagram: @stopfoodwaste.ie and @EPAIreland
  • X: @Stop_Food_Waste and @EPAIreland
  • Facebook: @StopFoodWaste.ie and @EPAIreland
  • Linked In: @Environmental-Protection-Agency-Ireland
  • Ireland generates approximately 750,000 tonnes of food waste each year across primary production, manufacturing & processing, distribution & retail, restaurants & food services, and households. For more information see: https://www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/waste/national-waste-statistics/food/
  • Under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, Ireland has committed to halving food waste by 2030.
  • Up to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food waste so preventing food waste is an important climate action we can take every day.
  • The Food Waste Charter (https://foodwastecharter.ie/) is a national voluntary agreement led by the EPA which aims to promote a collective industry commitment to reduce food waste along the entire food supply chain, as two thirds of food waste are generated across the food supply chain.
  • Resources to help businesses to monitor and measure their food waste have been developed by the EPA Measuring Food Waste - Food Waste.
  • Businesses can support Stop Food Waste Day by signing the Food Waste Charter; pledging to measure their food waste and taking action to reduce it.