On the occasion of International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day, which takes place on Monday, Too Good To Go says that households "account for most of the losses (67%), which shows the importance of supporting families with information and practical solutions to change their daily habits."

This company sells food that wasn't consumed in restaurants at a reduced price through the Too Good To Go app.

According to a study by the company, accessed by Lusa, in which 700 people were questioned, "the three critical moments in which waste is concentrated in households" are food shopping, food storage, and cooking.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, 1.93 million tons of food were wasted in 2023, a slight increase of 0.3% compared to 2022.

According to Too Good To Go, many consumers are attracted by promotions (41%) or large packaging (29%).

Based on the data, when people go shopping, they bring home more food and then fail to eat the food they brought before it spoils.

Too Good To Go also states that not all consumers plan their purchases, with 22% of citizens not using lists, 31% buying on impulse, and 60% purchasing products "just in case."

These habits can lead to the accumulation of food that will be discarded.

Regarding food storage, 61% of respondents try to organize their food, even though many admit they don't know the best ways to preserve it.

When cooking, 32% of consumers admitted having difficulty calculating portions, about three in 10 don't know how to fully utilize food, and 28% report a lack of time to cook.

“Worrying problem”

According to Too Good To Go, 83% of Portuguese people interviewed believe that food waste is "a very worrying problem," noting that 90% would support an anti-waste law.

The data shows that household food waste doesn't stem from a lack of concern, but from everyday habits that can be rethought and transformed with practical information and accessible solutions, according to the study.

"There is a strong social and environmental awareness, accompanied by a real desire for change," says the company.

For Too Good To Go, solutions to the problem involve planning purchases and making better use of food, so that intentions become daily habits.

The company also highlighted the need to combat food waste, highlighting that nearly 40% of all food produced worldwide is never consumed, while 673 million people live in hunger.

Too Good To Go was founded in 2016 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to combat food waste by finding a solution for food wasted in restaurants, supermarkets, and other establishments.

Since its launch, the company has saved more than 450 million meals from waste, equivalent to over one million tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) avoided.

The app launched in Portugal in October 2019, and food from these establishments is sold at a price between 30% and 50% lower than the original price. The app has over two million users and over 4,000 partners.

‘Too Good To Go’ says it has already saved more than 6.5 million ‘Surprise Bags’ (food packaging that is not sold by establishments) across the country, the equivalent of emitting 17,500 tons of CO2e, the company’s Interim Director in Portugal, Tiago Figueiredo, told Lusa.