An alliance between the food bank of Barcelona and the largest wholesale market for fresh products in southern Europe He has managed to stop the waste of thousands of kilos of food. The project, baptized as Foodbackhas caught the attention of international media, especially in the United Kingdom, which highlight their social and environmental impact.
The initiative started in 2022 and since then has allowed Recover large food volumes otherwise, they would have finished in the trash. Only so far from 2024, the center has received 1,233 tons of fruits and vegetables, of which about 850 tons were redistributed to people in vulnerability.
Located in Mercabarna, the center operates as a recovery point: wholesalers donate discarded foods for aesthetic or logistics reasons but are still suitable for consumption. 70 % of the total is used, after a selection and inspection process. Part of the products is distributed as and another part is transformed into porridge or children’s juices.
“Everything that comes here was destined to the clean point. We recover it before it becomes a residue, “said Elisabet Viladomiu, director of the Food Bank, in statements collected by Catalan News.
The project not only has a strong social component, when fighting food insecurity, but It also responds to a growing environmental concern. Food waste represents an important source of greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the Feeding America organization, In the United States alone, 42,000 million kilos of food are lost annuallythe equivalent of about 145,000 million rations, which represents about 38 % of everything that occurs.
Models such as Foodback Not only do food give a second life, but they show an effective and replicable route to reduce the impact of waste on the planet and the most fragile communities.
