Food redistribution in Germany: implementation and influencing factors
- 26.02.2025
- English Articles
- Murielle Frerk
- Christina Lünenborg
- Sabine Bornkessel
- Melanie Speck
Peer reviewed / Manuscript (original) submitted: 30 April 2024; revision accepted: 28 November 2024
An empirical study based on "Tafel" food banks in Lower Saxony
Introduction
Reducing food waste and alleviating food poverty are increasingly important topics in current public discourse, including political discourse and scientific research [1]. According to estimates, around 3 million people in Germany are at risk of material food poverty [2]. The poverty rate in Lower Saxony is 17.9%, which is above the national average, and certain population groups increasingly find themselves without the financial means to eat healthily [3]. At the same time, every year, Germany alone produces 11 million metric tons of food waste [4]. Around 6.7 million metric tons of this food waste is avoidable food waste. 2.8 million tons of this avoidable food waste is generated in primary production, food processing and food retailing [5].
Redistributing surplus food that is still edible and fit for consumption is one possible way to reduce avoidable food waste while simultaneously alleviating food poverty. According to the food waste hierarchy, returning surplus food to the food value chain for human consumption is the next priority after preventing food waste [6]. Redistributing food for human consumption can also help to save resources and reduce environmental impacts in the long term by reducing primary energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions [7, 8]. ...
