Madrid (EFE).- Spanish households reduced food and beverage waste by 6.2% in 2022 compared to the previous year in a context of inflation, with a weekly average of 23.1 million kilos or liters that ended in the trash.
The data corresponds to the report on food consumption and waste in Spain for 2022, presented this Thursday by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas.
The main waste figures:
Spaniards wasted 1,201.92 million kilos or liters in 2022 (-6.2% per year), the lowest figure since records exist.
Food waste in homes totaled 1,170.48 million kilos. The annual decrease was 6.2%, lower than the 14.2% drop registered in 2021 compared to 2020.
In 2022 there were 12.6 million households that continued to waste food, while one in three households did not throw anything away (12.3% more than in 2021).
Among the trends that explain the better use of food are the increase in prices, which makes the value of food more perceived; the return to consumption outside the home, the flexibility of work between the office and home, and better consumption planning, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
The waste of unused products was reduced above all (9% less in volume in the annual rate), although it is necessary to better manage leftovers from recipes (with an increase of 6.7% in volume).
The Spaniards made better use of fruits (8% less waste), vegetables (-3.4%) and liquid milk (-2.8%), while the use of sausages was worse (+3.2%) , ready meals (+5%) and pasta (+9.5%).
Waste outside the home fell 11.3% in 2022, standing at 31.5 million kilos, despite the rise in extra-domestic consumption.
Away from home, more than half of consumers do not throw away anything (54% vs. 51% in 2021), compared to 46% who do.