Austrian Food Waste Action Week 2026
The Food Waste Action Week 2026 from 28 September to 4 October 2026 is Austria's annual campaign week dedicated to raising awareness about food waste in the out-of-home catering sector.
Every day, enormous amounts of food are produced, processed, transported, stored, sold and prepared using valuable natural resources. Yet globally, around one-third of all food produced is never eaten! Instead, it is lost or wasted.
Food loss and waste occurs throughout the entire food value chain: from agricultural production and food processing to retail, private households and the out-of-home catering sector, including hospitals, schools, care homes, restaurants and hotels.
To raise awareness of this global challenge, the United Nations designated 29 September as the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction.
Why Food Waste Matters
In Austria alone, the out-of-home catering sector generates around 175,000 tonnes of food waste every year. Much of this waste is avoidable and has significant environmental consequences:
• 175,000 tonnes of food waste are generated annually in Austria's out-of-home catering sector.
• Wasting 240 kg of food (a full waste bin) causes approximately 250 kg of CO₂ emissions - roughly equivalent to the emissions from a flight from Vienna to Paris.
• Around 36,300 hectares of agricultural land are used each year to produce food that ultimately becomes avoidable waste in Austria's out-of-home catering sector.
• Avoidable food waste in this sector also represents the unnecessary use of approximately 27.6 billion litres of water every year.
Action Week Against Food Waste
United Against Waste is an initiative dedicated to preventing food waste in the out-of-home catering sector. The initiative is supported by a broad network of partners from businesses, public authorities, the Austrian federal states, NGOs and the scientific community.
During the Food Waste Action Week, we join forces with our partners across Austria to inspire action and raise awareness about food waste.
Throughout the week, we will:
• Organise events and awareness activities across Austria.
• Run national and regional media and press campaigns.
• Provide information directly to guests in participating partner establishments.
• Share practical tips, facts and inspiring stories through our social media channels (@unitedagainstwasteaustria).
• Showcase successful measures and best practices that help reduce food waste.
Together, we want to demonstrate that preventing food waste is effective and benefits everyone - from businesses and guests to the environment.
How you can help
• Together, we can make a difference: Every meal counts. By making mindful choices and communicating openly, both guests and food service providers can help conserve valuable resources.
• Choose the right portion: Select a portion size that matches your appetite. Taking only what you can eat helps reduce unnecessary leftovers.
• Ask questions: If you're unsure about portion sizes, ingredients or preparation, don't hesitate to ask. Your feedback also helps caterers continuously improve.
• Take another helping: At buffets, it's better to start with a smaller serving and go back for more if you're still hungry. This simple habit can significantly reduce food waste.
• Take it home: If you can't finish your meal, ask for take-away options for your leftovers. Enjoying them later is a great way to avoid waste.
Unter großem Ressourcenaufwand werden täglich Tonnen an Lebensmitteln produziert, weiterverarbeitet, gelagert, transportiert, gehandelt und zubereitet. Doch mindestens ein Drittel davon landet weltweit nicht auf unseren Tellern, sondern im Abfall. Lebensmittelabfälle entstehen entlang der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette: bei der Produktion, im Handel, in Privathaushalten und auch in der Außer-Haus-Verpflegung.
Auch in Österreich zeigt sich die Dringlichkeit: Jährlich fallen hierzulande rund 175.000 Tonnen Lebensmittelabfälle allein in Gastronomie, Hotellerie und Gemeinschaftsverpflegung – also Krankenhäusern, Betriebsrestaurants, Pflegeheimen oder Bildungseinrichtungen – an. Diese Dimension macht deutlich: Lebensmittelverschwendung ist nicht nur ein wirtschaftlicher Verlust, sondern auch eine Belastung für unsere Umwelt.
Denn die Folgen betreffen auch unser Klima: eine volle Lebensmittelabfalltonne verursacht etwa 250 Kilogramm CO₂ – das entspricht etwa dem Ausstoß eines Fluges von Wien nach Paris. Ressourcen wie landwirtschaftliche Nutzfläche, Wasser und Energie, die in die Lebensmittelproduktion fließen, gehen damit ebenfalls verloren.
Um auf diese globale Herausforderung aufmerksam zu machen, haben die Vereinten Nationen den 29. September zum Internationalen Tag gegen Lebensmittelverschwendung erklärt. Rund um diesen Tag rücken wir in der Aktionswoche „Nix übrig für Verschwendung“ wir den verantwortungsvollen Umgang mit Lebensmitteln in Veranstaltungen, Presseaktionen und einer Informationskampagne in den Fokus.
United Against Waste wird als Initiative zur Vermeidung von Lebensmittelabfällen in der Gemeinschaftsverpflegung von einem breiten Partnernetzwerk aus Wirtschaft, Bund, Ländern, NGOs und Wissenschaft getragen. Die Aktionstage „Nix übrig für Verschwendung“ 2026 werden durch das Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Klima- und Umweltschutz, Regionen und Wasserwirtschaft, die Stadt Wien und die Länder Niederösterreich, Oberösterreich, Steiermark, Tirol, Kärnten und Salzburg unterstützt.
