Dutch households can save an average of 538 euros per year –

Amsterdam, June 9, 2021 – This Saturday is World Environment Day, a day organized by the United Nations (UN), which aims to raise awareness of the importance of the environment and what we can do to protect it . In this context, the meal box supplier HelloFresh carried out research * on food waste in Dutch households. Food waste has been defined by the UN as a global challenge and is part of the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

Although almost all Dutch people (94%) believe there is a need to tackle food waste and 84% intend to reduce food waste at home *, research also shows that there is still much to gain. One household reports throwing an average of 10.35 euros per week of food in the trash, which amounts to no less than 538 euros per year **.

The main cause of overbought

Dutch households indicate that the main cause (36%) of their food waste is the excessive purchase of a certain product *. A surplus that you generally do not have with a meal box. For example, you waste 21% less on average when cooking with a lunch box *.

HelloFresh is actively involved as a stakeholder in the Together Against Food Waste foundation to fight food waste. Victor Smits, Head of Sustainability at HelloFresh, explains: “Each week we only buy most of the ingredients from our suppliers when all the boxes have been ordered by our customers. This way we only order what is really needed, no more and no less. Is there anything left? Then it goes straight to the food bank. Plus, as a customer, you get exactly the right amount of ingredients you need to prepare your meal. This way, no leftovers end up in the trash.

Toine Timmermans, Director of Together Against Food Waste, adds: “Smart shopping, tailor-made cooking and proper food storage help waste less food in households. Every hat and piece of overripe fruit counts. We’re delighted HelloFresh is committing to this as well. In this way, we are making the Netherlands more and more waste-free.

Easily avoid food waste yourself?

Better safe than sorry, especially with food waste. At www.hellofresh.nl/maaltijdbox/samentegenvoedselverspilling you will find simple tips for small adjustments with a big result!

About the research

* Representative survey conducted by Census Wide for HelloFresh among 1,011 respondents living in the Netherlands in March 2020.

** Representative survey conducted by Census Wide for HelloFresh among 1,000 respondents living in the Netherlands in September 2020.

About HelloFresh

HelloFresh SE is the world’s largest supplier of boxed lunches, with operations in the US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, in Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, France and Denmark. HelloFresh means <0.2% food waste in the chain and research shows that a consumer with a box lunch wastes 21% less food. In the first quarter of 2021, HelloFresh delivered 239.1 million meals to more than 7.3 million active customers. HelloFresh was founded in November 2011 in Berlin and has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since November 2017. HelloFresh has offices in New York, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Sydney, Toronto, Auckland, Paris and Copenhagen.

About Together against food waste

Foundation Together Against Food Waste is the ecosystem of companies and public organizations joining forces to achieve a common goal: Together we will make the Netherlands one of the first countries in the world to halve food waste by 2030. we are a forerunner and a global example in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. Together we make the Netherlands waste free.