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From plate to policy: how social norms can halve food waste in cities

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Across Europe, cities are rethinking how to tackle food waste. In Bruges, trained residents working within their own neighbourhoods helped reduce household food waste by 65 percent. In Milan, public kitchens began sourcing “imperfect” vegetables, shifting perceptions of quality through procurement. These examples point to a shared insight: food waste is often shaped less by infrastructure and more by the norms that guide everyday decisions. Norms define what people believe is acceptable, expected or typical. This is the focus of Feeding People, Not Landfills, a new guidance document developed within the CHORIZO project. Drawing on behavioural science and tested city experiences, the guide presents an eight-step approach to designing interventions that shift social norms around food. It helps local governments work not just through policy, but through perception.

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18832289

Authors: Lazer, Leah, Cisternino, Stefano, Longo, Ludovica

Language: English

Topic: Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Responsible consumption and production, Zero hunger

Open Access status: green

Funder: European Commission

Award: Changing practices and Habits through Open, Responsible, and social Innovation towards ZerΟ fοod waste