Catalonia's largest food bank, Banc dels Aliments, has partnered with Europe's biggest wholesale fresh food market, Mercabarna, in a project focused on rescuing fruit and vegetables from being wasted. The initiative, known as Foodback, operates as a food recovery center where wholesale companies deliver unsold or surplus produce, which is then repurposed and redirected to vulnerable communities.
Since its launch in 2022, the Foodback Center has made progress in reducing fruit and vegetable waste. In 2024 alone, it received 1,233 tons of produce, with nearly 850 tons successfully recovered and distributed. Items typically arrive due to damaged packaging, surplus stock nearing expiry, or late deliveries.
Each item is carefully inspected and sorted by staff from the Formació I Treball Foundation, which employs people at risk of social exclusion. Around 70% of the incoming fruit and vegetables are saved from waste, either distributed fresh or processed into longer-lasting products like juices and purées.
Spain's new food waste prevention law has increased collaboration with over 90 wholesale companies. The law requires producers to implement waste reduction plans and encourages donations to social organizations. In 2024, Banc dels Aliments distributed 15,000 tons of food, much of it fresh produce, through a network supporting over 114,000 people in the Barcelona area.
Source: CatalanNews
