Fed up throwing away gone-off food? Get involved!

Are you tired of seeing wilted leaves in your fridge, bread drying out in your press and yet more apples going in the bin? If so, this is your chance to help shape the future of food and avoid food waste in Ireland.

Are you tired of seeing wilted leaves in your fridge, bread drying out in your press and yet more apples going in the bin? If so, this is your chance to help shape the future of food and avoid food waste in Ireland.

When you consider food waste, you might think of the little green bag beside your sink, the amount of bread you throw in the brown wheelie bin every week, or the cloud of flies living above your fruit bowl.

But food in the bin isn’t just a wasted meal, it throws away valuable resources, time and money.

The best way to beat this at home is through everyday planning. However, at a national level, , the right policy can help shape the supports and funding needed to prevent food waste at a much bigger scale.

Did you know, the average Irish household wastes €700-worth of perfectly good food every year!

We will soon have a new three-year food waste roadmap, but there’s still time to have your say on what this should look like and what it should support.

This new roadmap gives us the opportunity to contribute to a nationwide plan, from helping to support local food donation initiatives to giving households practical ways to waste less and save more.

Ireland is committed to reducing food waste by 50% by 2030, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. With 31% of food waste coming from households, your say is valuable.

Whether you've found ways to reduce food waste at home, seen challenges in your community, or have ideas for creating a more sustainable future, your experience matters.

How will it help me?

Saving Households Money:
Your family is the priority. The roadmap looks to support more education and tools for households, like improved meal planning guides and better storage.This can significantly reduce the average household bill wasted on discarded food.

Tackling Food Poverty:

The roadmap explores strengthening support for food rescue charities, food donation and community projects, ensuring unwanted surplus food reaches those who need it.

Upgrading Recycling and Segregation:
The roadmap looks at improved food waste collection systems, including better segregation bins and more composting facilities. This will ensure unavoidable food waste is converted into valuable resources like compost, rather than going to landfill.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ireland generated approximately 770,316 tonnes of food waste in 2020. That’s enough food to feed every person in Ireland for nearly six months!

To submit your thoughts and opinions, simply fill in this form. Submissions close 4 September 2026.

Let’s work together to tackle food waste and build Ireland’s circular future.