Circular Food Pilot
CARE’s Circular Food Pilot aims to empower households across Europe to adopt circular consumption practices that reduce food waste, save resources, and contribute to the SDGs. Cut down food waste with us – one meal at a time.
Why Circular Food Practices Matter
Every year, 59 million tons of food are wasted in Europe, creaating significant environmental, economic, and social challenges (Source: European Comission). Globally, food waste accounts for 8-10 % of greenhouse gas emissions (Source: UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021), making it one of the largest environmental challenges of our time. By aligning with global goals such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), CARE’s Circular Food Pilot focuses on tackling food waste at one of its key sources: the household.
In five CCRI regions – Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, and Estonia – we’re co-developing advisory services with the households and use engaging interventions that adapt to local cultures, social norms, and infrastructures. With active household participation, our circular food pilot is a testbed for scalable solutions that promote resource efficiency and circularity.
Circular Food Pilot: Objectives
The Circular Food Pilot is a cornerstone of CARE’s mission to make circular living an achievable reality for households across Europe. By addressing food waste at the household level, this pilot not only empowers individuals to make smarter, more sustainable choices, but also builds a community working towards a shared vision of a sustainable future. Explore how CARE’s Circular Food Pilot translates vision into impact through these focused objectives:
-
Reducing Food Waste
CARE’s Circular Food Pilot aims to reduce food waste by 50 % among participating households. By identifying root causes and collaborating on solutions, we show how small, everyday changes can lead to substantial environmental and social benefits. Envision a future where every meal plan and food storage decision contributes to a healthier planet – CARE is making this vision a reality.
-
Empowering Households
CARE equips households with the tools and knowledge they need to take charge of their food waste. Through engaging interventions, tailored advisory services, and hands-on support, participants learn to identify wasteful habits, plan meals more effectively, and adopt improved storage practices.
For participating households, these efforts translate into real-life benefits: reduced grocery bills, more efficient meal planning, and improved household organisation. Additionally, households experience enhanced personal well-being – less stress from last-minute meal decisions, fewer wasted resources, and the satisfaction of contributing to a healthier planet.
By fostering lasting behaviour change, CARE enables households to make a powerful shift towards circular living – one meal at a time.
-
Creating Local Communities
CARE connects households through a vibrant online community network, encouraging peer-to-peer learning and collective action. Community-driven activities and shared actions enable participants to share ideas and inspire each other to adopt circular habits. Together, these efforts amplify individual contributions, sparking a ripple effect that drives societal change towards sustainable living.
-
Adapting to Local Needs
Recognising the diversity of Europe’s households, CARE tailors its interventions to fit local cultures, socio-technical systems, and social norms. These region-specific strategies ensure that solutions are not only practical but also culturally relevant, proving that sustainability thrives on flexibility and diversity.
-
Contributing to Policy
CARE’s Circular Food Pilot bridges the gap between households and policy makers by generating evidence-based insights through food waste audits, surveys, and ethnographic research. These insights provide actionable recommendations for effective policies, shaping regulations that prioritise food waste reduction and align with sustainability goals at both local and EU levels.
Interventions
CARE’s Circular Food Pilot focuses on empowering households to make impactful changes at three key stages of food waste – planning, cooking, and storing. These stages reflect the full lifecycle of food within homes, from purchase to preservation, ensuring a comprehensive approach to waste reduction. By tailoring interventions to each stage, the pilot provides practical solutions that inspire households to adopt sustainable habits and promote lasting change.
Food Planning
Effective planning is the first step in reducing food waste. CARE equips households with strategies to shop smarter and avoid over-purchasing. Through workshops or similar, participants learn how to organise meal ideas and grocery lists. Personalised advisory services offer additional support, helping households develop habits that save money while minimising environmental impact.
Food Cooking
Cooking creatively can transform leftovers into exciting meals and ensure every ingredient is used to its fullest. CARE focuses on the cooking competence of households to inspire resourceful meal preparation. Community challenges, such as “No Waste Cooking Week,” engage participants in rethinking how they approach food, fostering a mindset of innovation and mindful consumption.
Food Storing
Proper storage practices are essential for preserving food and preventing spoilage. CARE’s food storing intervention provides households with practical guidance on optimising fridge organisation, using effective preservation techniques, and understanding temperature control. Participants are also introduced to eco-friendly storage solutions, such as reusable containers and sustainable wraps, making it easier to extend the life of their food and reduce waste at home.
By addressing food waste holistically and empowering households to take charge of these three stages, CARE’s Circular Food Pilot demonstrates how small, actionable steps can lead to meaningful environmental and social benefits.
Meet the Experts
CARE’s Circular Food Pilot is driven by a passionate team led by Lund University, working closely with regional partners including IVL in Sweden, EcoFellows in Finland, Asker Municipality in Norway, Lääne-Harju Municipality and Zero Waste Estonia in Estonia, and Verbraucher Initiative in Germany. Together, their expertise ensures the pilot’s interventions are impactful, innovative, and tailored to local needs.
Meet Our Project Partners
Let’s team up!
Ready to make a difference with CARE? Whether you’re a researcher, community leader, policy maker or industry expert, there’s a way for us to collaborate. Together, we can turn ideas into actions and bring circular living to life.
Get involved
