An organization working to reduce food waste says the average Canadian family throws away 79 kg of edibles annually. The National Zero Waste Council made up of members of the Canadian food industry, retail, food service, and government, estimates that about 58% of the food produced in Canada is lost to landfill. Recent Environment and Climate Change Canada research found that wasted food accounts for around 23% of all landfill trash in the country annually. Since landfill methane comes from biodegradable waste like food, any attempt to reduce food waste will also benefit the environment.  

Meat has a lower rate of waste than other common foods

Various types of food are wasted at alarming rates in Canada. Meat has the lowest rate of food waste, at 6%, compared to other major food groups. Vegetables are the most wasted food item in the average home, with a 30 percent weight loss. After that, 15% goes to fruit, and 13% to leftovers. Bakery goods (9%), dairy products, and eggs (7%) comprise the top ten.  

Second Harvest awards action plan

Supporting sustainable environmental activities through food redistribution, research, awareness, and education, Second Harvest is an effort to lessen food waste to lower hunger levels. The previously wasted food has been reduced by 32% or about 11.2 million tonnes. Second Harvest presented Sobeys Canada with the Food Partner of the Year award and Artic Co-op and Loblaw with the No-Hunger honors during a banquet on February 16, 2023, in Toronto.  

Reducing food waste in the Retail Sector

To save food, reduce food waste, and redistribute surplus food to Canadian communities, Sobeys has launched the cutting-edge "OurPart" program. Sobeys' Food Rescue initiative uses social media, specifically Twitter (through the hashtag #FoodRescue.ca) and the mobile application FoodHero. To help customers find deals on perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, bread, dairy products, and pantry essentials, Loblaw has introduced the Flashfood app. Items like this frequently see price reductions of fifty percent or more. If you cook or freeze something, it can last for weeks. For others, the end is only two days away. Users of Flashfood have supposedly saved a total of $90 million and prevented over 13.5 million kg of food from going to landfills.  

Conclusion

Efforts to reduce the enormous amount of food wasted in Canada are essential. According to research, Canadians throw away 58% of the food produced in the country yearly, or 79 kg, in each household. Waste exacerbates problems like food shortages and pollution. Thankfully, Second Harvest was founded to deal with these problems and reduce food waste. Through food redistribution, research, awareness, and education, Second Harvest has helped eliminate hunger and advance sustainability. Sobeys Canada, Arctic Co-op, and Loblaw have all been recognized for reducing food waste. Sobeys and Loblaw have been leaders in the food rescue and donating movement. Through "OurPart" and the Flashfood app, the companies have linked retailers with customers by providing discounted perishable food close to its best-before date. This technique has saved money and millions of kilograms of food. The sustainability and effectiveness of Canada's food system depends on these efforts. The people must be educated, better methods must be developed for preserving food, and the food industry must work together. With concerted effort, Canadians can eliminate food waste, feed people experiencing poverty, and protect the planet.