"Let's increase the blessings of Ramadan with wasteful meals."

Increased shopping and meal preparations during Ramadan have brought the issue of food waste to the forefront. In this context, Kaan Sidar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TÜGİS (Turkish Food Industry Employers' Union), made statements revealing the extent of food waste in the world and in our country with striking data.

One billion people in the world could be fed.

Citing data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Sidar stated that 30% of the food produced worldwide is wasted before it even reaches the shelves, adding, “Every food item we lose today means that the water, energy, and labor spent from the field to the kitchen are also wasted. If just a quarter of the lost and wasted food were saved, it would be enough to meet the daily food needs of approximately 1 billion people.”

In our country, 12 million loaves of bread are wasted every day.

Sidar stated that bread is one of the most visible examples of daily waste in Türkiye, saying, “As a nation, due to our beliefs and culture, we respect the bread we see on the street, kissing it and placing it on our heads. Despite this, the fact that approximately 12 million loaves of bread are thrown away every day hurts both our conscience and our budget. This figure increases even more, especially during Ramadan. Shopping beyond what is needed, large portions, and unplanned preparations increase waste. Therefore, as TÜGİS, we call on all our citizens to increase the blessings of Ramadan with waste-free meals.” Sidar added that a change in behavior starting in households could lead to noticeable savings on a national scale in Turkey.

Source: HORECA TREND and TÜGİS