Paulig rolls out food waste calculator for young people
Food company Paulig has launched a digital food waste calculator and educational materials aimed at helping young people understand and reduce food waste at home and school.
Paulig has developed a digital food waste calculator and associated educational materials designed for young people and home economics classes. The initiative aims to increase understanding of food waste volumes, origins, and impacts, fostering responsible consumer habits.
The program addresses concerns about global food waste, which, if considered a country, would have the third-largest carbon footprint worldwide. Household food waste is considerable, amounting to approximately 120 million kilograms annually in Finland. Paulig emphasizes that awareness is crucial for reduction.
"Home economics classes offer many young people their first experience with important everyday skills, and the teaching is meant to support their development into responsible consumers," stated Kaisa Lipponen, Paulig's SVP of Communications & Sustainability. She added that reducing food waste can seem challenging, necessitating tools that illustrate the issue and are accessible to all.
The food waste calculator, developed in collaboration with the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), has seen over 56,000 users since its release. The tool calculates not only the amount of food waste but also its associated emissions and monetary value. The educational package also includes a video featuring influencer Pinja Saraksenaho, encouraging young people to consider food waste.