Food Waste Prevention

TOPIC:

Initiative

Food Waste Prevention

SUBMITTED FROM:

Fourlis Group

The FOURLIS Group is one of the largest trading groups of consumer goods in Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Romania.

Objective Action

As part of IKEA's global commitments, the HOUSEMARKET company (IKEA stores) of the FOURLIS Group is committed to reducing food waste through initiatives and actions, as well as raising public awareness about reducing food waste in the home.

Target Audience

Consumers/Customers, wider society.

Duration

All actions are implemented on an annual basis and throughout the year.

Description

As part of its commitment to reducing food waste, the company:

from 2021, it has invested in an electronic system for counting and recording food waste in the kitchens of IKEA store restaurants (Waste Watchers)
is a member of the "Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste", an initiative of the BOROUME organization and AB Vassilopoulos,
donates the meals that are not consumed in the restaurants of its stores, daily (Greece, Cyprus), to vulnerable social groups,
implements actions to raise awareness and inform the public about reducing food waste at home through promotional films and a published guide on the site https://www.ikea.gr/odigos-gia-mia-viosimi-zoi-sto-spiti/

more...

Impact on Society

In 2023 HOUSEMARKET (IKEA stores in Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria) achieved savings in food waste by 37.4 tons which correspond to

160.9 tons of CO2e and
93,545 meals worth €199,369

Since 2022, the company has also achieved, in the IKEA restaurants in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria, the goal set by IKEA worldwide to reduce food waste by 50% by the end of 2022. In 2023, approximately 40,000 portions were offered from the restaurants of IKEA stores in Greece to feed our fellow human beings from vulnerable social groups, while more than 742,410 portions of food have been offered since 2012. Accordingly, IKEA Cyprus in 2023 offered more than 7,040 portions of food to feed our fellow human beings in need, while since 2022 it has offered more than 10,140 portions of food.

Initiative Location

The Waste Watchers system is implemented in the stores of Kifissos, Airport, Maroussi (The Mall Athens), Ioannina, Larissa, Thessaloniki, Cyprus, Sofia, and Varna in Bulgaria. Meals not consumed in the restaurants of the IKEA Greece and Cyprus stores are offered free of charge to local institutions and organizations to feed people in need.

More...…

Working with Organization

BOROUME (Within the Alliance as well as the meal donation)

Workers Participation

All human resources employed in stores where the Waste Watchers system is implemented have been trained on the effects of food waste on the environment and the importance of proper recording and inventory management. Company executives participate in the Alliance to reduce food waste.

More...…