Teagasc brought together key stakeholders from policy, regulation, business and civil society to refine recommendations aimed at tackling the growing global and national challenge of food waste.

The roundtable took place at the Teagasc Food Research Centre Ashtown, Dublin, on Monday (April 13). 

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (2024), 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted at the retail, food service and household level in 2022 - equivalent to one fifth of food available to consumers.

Households accounted for 60% of this waste, followed by food service (28%) and retail (12%).

If current trends continue, global food waste could rise to 2.1 billion tonnes by 2030, with further increases expected by 2050.

Food waste is also a significant problem in Ireland, costing Irish businesses an estimated €2 billion annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Impacts are also felt at household level, which contributes between 26% and 31% of the more than one million tonnes of food wasted each in Ireland each year.

Prof. Maeve Henchion, principle research officer at Teagasc said: “Food loss and waste not only represent a missed opportunity to feed the growing global population, but they also have significant environmental, social and ethical impacts.

“It wastes finite and precious resources, including water and energy, can adversely affect farmers’ livelihoods, and increases food prices for consumers.

"Environmental impacts also relate to climate change and biodiversity”.

ROSETTA project

Teagasc is a partner in ROSETTA, an EU-funded research project that examines one of the less visible drivers of food waste: marketing standards.

These rules govern quality, appearance, and uniformity but can result in perfectly edible and nutritious food being discarded simply because it does not meet visual or size criteria.

Examples include carrots rejected for minor cosmetic blemishes, or products removed from sale because they are too close to their use-by-date.  

Shay Hannon, manager of the National Prepared Food Consumer Centre (NPCFC) manager, said: “The NPCFC and ROSETTA share a common goal of advancing practical solutions for food waste reduction.

“This event is an important milestone, bringing industry partners together to carry this momentum forward.”

Upcycling and consumer engagement

Teagasc researchers are developing practical solutions, including new upcycled food products and consumer‑focused communication strategies.

“Upcycling is about seeing value where others see waste,” Angelo Galalato, food technologist at Teagasc said.

"Insights from the ROSETTA roundtables emphasise the importance of businesses liaising with stakeholders across the supply chain to unlock the full potential of food upcycling.

The ROSETTA project brings together 17 partner organisations from eight European countries, aiming to reduce and prevent food waste by improving market access for such non-conforming foods.

Pilot initiatives in five countries, including Ireland, have tested practical solutions to inform future strategies for food businesses, policymakers, and regulators.

These findings, combined with desk-based research, have informed draft policy and business recommendations, which were discussed at the Teagasc meeting.

Recommendations

Irish stakeholders at the workshop examined five policy recommendations covering 11 key topics, including:

Improving and strengthening food supply chains;
Aligning the goals of public and private standards;
Expanding pathways for suboptimal products;
Supporting technological innovation and improving monitoring and accountability systems;
Strengthening education and collaboration.

Participants also discussed 11 business recommendations across four clusters, focusing on understanding where and why food waste from marketing standards occurs and quantifying its economic impact.

They also looked at concrete actions to prevent waste and recover products across the supply chain; creating market access for suboptimal and upcycled products; and strategic positioning, regulatory preparedness, and systemic coordination for sustained impact.

Participants highlighted that implementation and behaviour change remain significant challenges.

Collaboration, data, measurement, and evidence were identified as essential enablers, along with the need for approaches that integrate diverse solutions targeting the multiple drivers of food waste.

Ciara McDonagh, head of Teagasc’s food industry development department said: “Teagasc’s food industry development department is committed to driving measurable reductions in food waste through innovation, industry collaboration, and evidence-based best practice.

"By supporting sustainable production and resource efficiency, the department aims to help build a more resilient and circular food system.”