Working to reduce food waste
Around one-third of food produced globally is either lost or wasted.
A significant amount of global resources are devoted to food production and distribution – in land, water, fertiliser and fuel costs, as well as in the greenhouse gases produced. This inefficiency has profound implications for the environment and the ability of the food sector to operate sustainably.
In Australia, it adds up to 7.6 million tonnes of food, which is estimated to cost the economy $36.6 billion a year and accounts for 3% of our national greenhouse gas emissions.
On any given day, over half a million households in Australia are struggling to meet their food needs. In 2024, an estimated 3.4 million Australian households experienced food insecurity, with 2 million households experiencing severe food insecurity4 – meaning they ran out of food because of financial limitations and at worst went entire days without eating.
Food loss and waste can occur at any point between production and consumption. To help prevent this, we have implemented a number of practical, technological and educational initiatives designed to help reduce food loss and waste.
Signatories of the Australian Food Pact
To advance action, Nestlé Australia has joined the Australian Food Pact, an industry-wide commitment to halve food waste in Australia by 2030.
The Australian Food Pact brings together a broad range of organisations to tackle food waste and build a better, more resilient food system. The multi-year commitment will identify priorities, develop solutions and implement change at scale.
The Australian Food Pact is a voluntary agreement facilitated by End Food Waste Australia and supported by the Australian government’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Combatting food waste through brand action
At Nestlé, we are focused on combatting food waste. Our brands use packaging designed to help maintain the quality and freshness of our products. They also partner with organisations to redistribute surplus food to those in need.
- Maggi is a founding partner of the Saveful app, designed to help Australians save time and reduce food waste. The innovative, intuitive, free app provides users with simple, budget friendly recipes enabling users to make thousands of dishes with what’s already on hand in the kitchen. Check out how Maggi and Saveful help make food go father.
- A versatile recipe base, Maggi Hearty One Pot Casserole turns almost any combination of protein and vegetables into a flavourful and nutritionally balanced meal for six. Designed to be ‘All Taste, No Waste,’ it’s an easy way to incorporate ingredients on hand and minimise food waste.
1 ClimateScience | Food Waste
2 Reducing Australia's Food Waste | Australian Government, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
3 About - Stop Food Waste in Australia - How to reduce food waste
4 Foodbank 2024 Hunger Report
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