Spain saw an 8.6% annual drop in food waste during 2021, a trend endorsed by Luis Planas, the minister of agriculture, fisheries and food. With food prices rising, this change in behavior benefits society as people adjust their routines and choices.
New data provided to Efe by MAPA, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, indicate that Spain wasted 1,245.88 million kilos of food in 2021, a decline of 8.6% from the previous year.
MAPA notes that better use of resources followed shifts in behavior after the pandemic, including more flexible work arrangements and a return to dining outside the home.
There is a growing perception of food value and rising social awareness as prices climb and other factors come into play.
“Fighting food waste also benefits society as a whole, especially in today’s climate when energy and raw material costs push food prices higher,” Planas told Efe.
Less home consumption, more eating out
The end of strict lockdowns and restrictions in 2021 reduced opportunities to cook at home, causing household purchasing to shrink by 7.2%.
Out-of-home consumption rose by 10.4%, driven by greater work attendance and a return to leisure activities.
MAPA notes that, in 2021, more than 13 million households (three out of four) reported wasting food, with waste outside the home accounting for around 40% of the total.
On average, each person discarded 28.21 pounds in 2021, a reduction of 2.72 kilos compared with 2020.
About 3.8% of all purchased food and beverages were discarded, whether inside or outside the home, compared with 3.9% in 2020. The split shows 4.2% waste inside the home and 0.8% outside it.
By product category
In 2021 the share of discarded scraps fell from 23.8% to 18.9%, while the remainder consisted of unused products.
Among discarded unused items, frozen meats led waste at 16.7%, followed by sauces at 15.9%. Coffee, infusions and legumes also rose to 12% in a single year.
A set of dishes accounted for about 66% of wasted recipes. Those with the largest waste reductions included fish-based meals (-50.4%), meat (-42.5%), rice (-35.6%), and pasta (-35.4%).
Outside the home, beverages were the most wasted category, representing 53.6% of total waste, followed by food at 44.1% and snacks at 2.3%.
Meals and dinners produced two distinct trends in 2021: lunches rose while dinners declined, according to ministry data.
Water, soft drinks, vegetables, beer and meat were the products with the largest shares of waste, mirroring patterns seen in 2020.
A new law
Planas emphasized that now more than ever it is essential to adopt measures that prevent waste of natural resources and energy used in food production.
The aim is to prevent further waste generation and lessen environmental impact, preserving the efforts of farmers, ranchers and fishermen.
Among ongoing efforts to curb the problem, Planas highlighted a forthcoming law to prevent food loss and waste, expected to take effect in early 2023.
“In line with government goals on social justice, environmental protection and economic growth, tackling food waste is an ethical obligation that should involve all members of society, from producers to final consumers,” the minister stated.
The law aims to shift production toward a more efficient, smarter system and to strengthen the circular economy while promoting more responsible consumption.
“It is time to roll out the ministry’s slogan, ‘Nothing is thrown away here,’ because there is no food that costs more than what is discarded,” Planas added.
The government reaffirms its commitment to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, including the target to halve per-capita food waste worldwide, covering retail, consumers, production, and the supply chain.