How much food is actually thrown away in society and what can be done about it? The founders of the Ätbart association asked themselves this question when they were at high school in Skövde. Now the association runs several projects across Sweden to reduce food waste and food poverty.

Food waste is a major environmental culprit. Food production requires a lot of resources that are then wasted if the food is not eaten. Reducing food waste is a major challenge and it has The Edible Association taken on.

- "Interest in working against food waste has grown, I would say. More people see the huge waste of resources and what it means for the climate and the environment. Since last year, we have brought together a network of food banks throughout Sweden, and have established a partnership with both Axfood and Lidl when it comes to redistributing surplus food. At the same time, it is important to distinguish between short-term and long-term solutions. Redistribution is better than throwing away food, but it is also a solution that we ourselves criticize, as it brings its own problems and is not a long-term solution. The criticism has been welcomed and attracted interest, we have a lot of contact with researchers and authorities, and there has been a lot of interest in the Food Bank report that we released in the spring. The report has also been picked up by researchers internationally and translated into English," says Gabriel Birgersson, chairman of Ätbart.

The start of Ätbart was formed in Skövde

Several of the founders of Ätbart grew up in Skövde, and it was there that the association distributed its first bags of surplus food from the shops.

- Without all the support we received from all the volunteers, partners and companies in Skövde, we would not be where we are today. Some of our most important partners are still in Skövde and we are keen not to lose sight of the association's roots. Today we are mainly located in Stockholm and Gothenburg, where our office is located. At the same time, we work through our projects and activities in locations around the country. The Swedish Food Bank Network brings together local food banks throughout Sweden and Matsvinn på schemat collaborates with pilot schools around the country, including Kavelbrogymnasiet in Skövde," says Gabriel.

The association is also seeing interest in the work they are doing in Food Waste on the Agenda, which is about raising issues of food waste and a sustainable food system in schools.

- Even before the project started, when we contacted schools, many were positive about raising the issue of food waste in more subjects. School kitchen staff are often faced with an impossible task when it comes to talking about food waste with students during the short time they spend in the canteen. At the same time, it is often only in home economics that the issue is raised in lessons. But food waste is a question of changing habits and behaviors, which requires that it be raised often and from several perspectives. In the project, we are developing a platform with materials that all schools, from primary to secondary, will be able to use - completely free of charge," says Gabriel.

Thanks to its commitment to reducing food waste, the Ätbart association has been nominated for Coop's sustainability prize, the Änglamarkspriset, which rewards green, sustainable solutions and initiatives by young people. The prize was established in 2002 and some of the previous winners are Koastal, CleanSea and Sopköket. You can enter Vote for the Edible Society here!

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