The pilot project “Águeda + Verde | Sem Desperdício” (Águeda + Green | No Waste) aims to reduce waste in the restaurant sector by providing customers with boxes to take leftovers home.

According to a press release from the Águeda City Council, the initiative involves 22 establishments within the city's urban perimeter.

The boxes for taking leftover meals home are free, and customers themselves pack the food they wish to take into the containers, which will be displayed in clearly marked stands.

The measure is part of the “European Green Leaf 2026” strategy and will initially run for 6 months.

The project aims to “involve restaurant owners and customers in valuing resources and promoting the circular economy in the municipality.”

For the Vice-President of the Águeda City Council, Edson Santos, the measure “translates into a practical contribution to sustainability and behavioural change.”

“Combating food waste is everyone's responsibility, and this project allows citizens and businesses to be directly involved in a simple action, but with a real impact on the environment,” he states.

Edson Santos, who is responsible for the Environment, Ecology, Sustainability and Climate Action portfolio, also notes that joining the project reinforces the establishment's environmental commitment.