FOOD WASTE CALCULATOR

Time to cut down on waste

The production and consumption of food generates waste that has an impact on the environment and the economy. Finnish households generate an estimated of food waste per person each year. The by throwing away food is about 500 million euros each year.

We cannot eliminate food waste entirely, but we can reduce it both in food production and at home. The Less Food Waste Project is designed to draw attention to food waste, help estimate the amount of food waste generated by your household, and inspire everyone to reduce waste.
The impact of food waste

Try our food waste calculator

With our food waste calculator, you can estimate the food waste generated by your household each year. You also get an idea of the euro value and carbon footprint of your waste, and you can compare the results to Finnish household averages.
ABOUT THE CALCULATOR
The food waste calculator is based on the extensive 2010–2012 Foodspill food waste diary study by Natural Resource Institute Finland. This quantitative study surveyed household food waste for a period of two weeks. In addition to measuring food waste and providing their background information, the participants answered over a hundred questions related to their shopping behaviour and food waste. Unlike, for example, a composition study, a diary study helps expose correlations behind food waste.

The questions for the food waste calculator were selected by statistical methods from a wide breadth of material to generate a food waste prediction of highest possible precision with a limited set of questions. Responses to the questionnaire have a proven correlation with total waste. There might not be direct causality, as the correlation may be due to underlying parameters. The estimated prices for foodstuffs are also based on the Foodspill study, updated with current consumer price data from Statistics Finland.

The climate impact of food loss and waste results from producing unnecessary food, especially from farming and its biological processes such as emissions from ruminants’ digestion of feed and nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils. The estimated climate impact of food waste is based on several studies on the climate impact, or carbon footprint, of various food chains by Natural Resource Institute Finland, their client assignments, and similar international studies and their research materials. The carbon footprint estimates were made on the product group level.
QUESTION 1 of 6

How many people live in your household?

1
1
6
QUESTION 2 of 6

Who typically buys groceries in your household?*

Woman
Man
Other gender
We take turns
Prefer not to answer
*Studies show that the gender of the person buying groceries for the household affects how much waste is generated.
QUESTION 3 of 6

How relevant is price to you
when shopping for groceries?

Not relevant
Slightly relevant
Somewhat relevant
Very relevant
Highly relevant
QUESTION 4 of 6

Does your household recycle?

Always
Often
Sometimes
Never
QUESTION 5 of 6

What is your typical mode of transport when shopping for groceries?

By car
By public transport
By bike
Walking
I buy food online

How often does your household throw away the following food?

In the following questions, food waste refers to edible food and not, for example, banana or orange peels, coffee grounds, or animal bones.
In the following questions, food waste refers to edible food and not, for example, banana or orange peels, coffee grounds, or animal bones*.
QUESTION 6 of 6
*Almost daily, Weekly, Monthly, Very rarely, Never / product not consumed in household
Almost daily
Meat
Almost daily
Home-cooked food
Almost daily
Other
products
Do you drink coffee?
YES
NO
The question about your coffee drinking is phrased differently because the underlying study is different from the other questions.
Almost daily
Fruits or vegetables
Almost daily
Bread
Almost daily
Cheese
Almost daily
Other dairy products
Almost daily
Fish

Your results

kg
477 €
Amount of food waste
Value in euros
Powered by AskKauko
5
Food waste average in Finland
323 kg/CO2
Food waste carbon footprint
This equals the emissions of driving a car for
2,105 km
You
Finland
You
Finland
You
Finland
CO2
€
kg
Your food waste figure is significantly higher than average, so the carbon footprint of waste generated at your home is much bigger than the Finnish household average. Your food waste figure is based on a proportion of the CO2 emissions generated by your waste. The counter is based on the Foodspill study by the Natural Resource Institute Finland with variable analysis applied. Here you can find tips to reduce your waste.
Tips for reducing waste
Share your result
TIPS

Finishing your plate saves money and environment

In Finland, the estimated is 107 to 137 million kg every year, about 25 kg per person. In terms of money wasted, this means that Finnish households throw away worth of food every year.

Consumption and production of food always has an impact on the environment, contributing over 20% to the total climate impact, or carbon footprint, of all consumption. Only is a heavier burden on the climate than food.

Food production has an impact on, for example, global warming, eutrophication, acidification, and biodiversity loss. In addition, nutrients, land area, energy, and water resources. Of all arable land in the world, is used to produce food that goes to waste. When food is lost, work in primary production goes to waste and emissions generated in the production chain have been for nothing, all the while wasting valuable raw materials.
What is Paulig doing to reduce food waste?

It’s easy to reduce waste

Every Finn throws away an estimated 25 kg of edible food each year. The most common reasons are food going bad and expired dates. Leftovers, making too much food, and reluctance to have the same meal twice also contribute to food waste. Vegetables and dairy products are thrown away more than any other food.

You can easily by taking small steps:

Think about what you actually need and buy accordingly. If you’re not sure if and when you need it, leave it on the shelf.
Read the date labels.
If it’s past ‘best before’, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. You can tell by smelling and tasting.
‘Expiration date’ tells you that the product should be used by that date.
Clean the fridge often to see what expires next.
Freeze your leftovers and be sure to put them to use later.
Prepare for example a delicious leftover tortilla! Check out
Stop perfectly good groceries from going to waste and save money by buying products with red best before tags or ‘30% off’ labels.
More about the project

What is Paulig doing
to reduce food waste?

As an international food company and a pioneer in sustainability, reducing food waste is important to Paulig. Paulig’s is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this comprehensive programme, Paulig wants to cut food waste in half across their value chain by 2030.

Food loss and waste is generated throughout the value chain, from growing raw materials to food production and consumption.

A study by Paulig and the University of Helsinki examines the generation of food loss early in Paulig’s supply chain and helps identify ways to reduce food loss in the raw materials production chain. The study helps Paulig better understand which product categories and raw materials have the highest impact and how to reduce food loss in the countries of origin. This commissioned by Paulig also helps other food producers in the future.
In their operations, Paulig constantly develops innovative ways to reduce food waste:
From waste to biogas for roasteries

From waste to biogas for roasteries

Coffee waste generated in Paulig’s coffee production in Finland is used to produce biogas. All Paulig’s coffee in Finland is also roasted with biogas, and our biggest roastery in Vuosaari has been powered by biogas since August 2015.

Packaging development plays an important role in addressing food waste. In Paulig’s packaging development, maximising shelf life is always the first priority.
KAFFE BUENO – COSMETICS FROM COFFEE WASTE

Kaffe Bueno – cosmetics from coffee waste

Paulig’s venture arm PINC invests in start-ups that develop innovations for the future of food. PINC has invested in, for example, Kaffe Bueno, a Danish start-up that turns coffee waste from Paulig’s Vuosaari roastery into ingredients for cosmetics and functional foods.
EFFICIENT TORTILLA PRODUCTION

Efficient tortilla production

Nearly all waste generated at Paulig’s tortilla factories is used in production of animal feed. For example, our tortilla factory in Landskrona, Sweden, has partnered with a local pig farmer who uses the waste from our tortilla production to manufacture feed for their livestock and fertilizer for their fields.

In our factories in UK and Belgium, advanced production engineering helps us reuse finished tortillas in the production process. If the size is off, for example, tortillas can be turned back into dough.
Join us
The Less Food Waste Project
The Less Food Waste Project draws attention to food waste in every household and inspires to reduce it
Paulig reduces waste as part of their sustainability programme
Time to cut down on waste
READ MORE

The Less Food Waste Project draws attention to food waste in every household and inspires to reduce it

The Less Food Waste Project by Paulig and Natural Resource Institute Finland is designed to draw attention to food waste, help estimate the amount of food waste generated by your household, and inspire everyone to reduce waste.

At the heart of this project is the food waste calculator. It’s designed to estimate the amount of food waste generated in your household along with the euro value and carbon footprint of your waste.
The counter also generates a food waste figure that tells you the climate impact of your food waste. And you can compare all these figures to Finnish household averages.

The counter is designed to inspire each and every one of us to look at our consumer habits and think about how to reduce food waste at home.
READ MORE

Paulig reduces waste as part of our sustainability programme

Reducing food waste is part of Paulig’s 2030, based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It includes more responsible products and services, climate action and circular economy, and fair and inclusive way of working. We want to cut food waste in half across our value chain by 2030.

It is our mission to contribute to sustainable future for food, and with the Less Food Waste Project we invite households to participate in our efforts to reduce food waste.
READ MORE

Time to cut down on waste

Food waste is unnecessarily wasted food that could have been used with better meal planning or by preparing or storing food differently. Currently, millions of kilograms of edible food is thrown out across the food chain (10–15% of all produced food). When food is lost, work in primary production goes to waste and emissions generated in the production chain have been for nothing. Food production has an impact on, for example, global warming and biodiversity loss. In addition, food production consumes nutrients, land area, energy, and water resources. Unnecessarily produced food is a burden on both the economy and the environment.

Food waste is generated throughout the food chain, but households are the single biggest contributor as they generate 30% of all waste in the food chain. Finnish households generate an estimated 107 to 137 million kg of food waste every year, about In terms of money wasted, this means that Finnish households throw away
is typically due to lack of planning and effort, changes in everyday routines, and increasingly poor kitchen skills. Leftovers go unused and products past ‘best before’ are often treated as if they are expired.

The Finnish food industry also generates a large amount of food loss, up to 75 to 105 million kg or 20% of all food waste in the food chain.
Frequently asked questions & SOURCES

Your business or organisation is welcome to join the Less Food Waste Project:

Does your business or organisation want to know more about the Less Food Waste Project or join our efforts to reduce food waste?

Get in touch by sending a message, and we’ll get back to you.
communications@paulig.com