LOWINFOOD : Regusto bag
Discover how innovative Italian restaurants implemented this no-waste bag
AREFLH is a partner of LOWINFOOD, a project that focuses on “Multi-actor design of low-waste food value chains through the demonstration of innovative solutions to reduce food loss and waste”. LOWINFOOD supports the reduction of the loss and waste in the European Union by demonstrating innovative solutions following a multi-actor approach along the entire value chain.
On 3rd of May 2024, LOWINFOOD presented the positive results of the implementation of the zero-waste Regusto bags at the Tibidabo restaurant (Tarquinia, Italy), one of the restaurants collaborating with the projects in the implementation of this innovation.
During the event, different presentations were made by the Coordinator UNITUS, and the Partners of the project in charge of the bag. Maria Chiara Gadda, vice president of the Italian Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies and first signatory of Lw 166/16, known as “anti-waste” was present and recalled the opportunities provided by the Law for companies and the third sector.
It was announced that a consistent reduction in food waste was achieved thanks to the Regusto bags: a 9% reduction in food waste in volume was recorded with 73% of restaurant customers declaring that they had avoided food waste.
The implementation of this innovation in the Tibidabo restaurant consisted of the distribution of the Regusto bag to customers who ordered meals enabling them to reduce the excess food produced by the restaurant and to take their leftovers home for later consumption. Each bag was equipped with a QR code linked to an online questionnaire that customers might fill out at the time of consumption and at the time of takeaway.
The main objective was to quantify food waste outside the home and evaluate the effectiveness of the Regusto innovation in reducing it. Five partner restaurants were involved during the project. Overall, over 580 responses were collected from consumer surveys and 10 from restaurant owners.
The results were extremely positive: both in kitchen operations and among restaurant customers, as approximately 263 kg of food was taken away thanks to the use of Regusto Bags. This amount represents food potentially saved by restaurants. The food then consumed by customers once taken home exceeded 232 kg, highlighting a waste rate equal to only 11,8% of the total: “73% of restaurant customers declared that they had no food waste after using the Regusto bag”, emphasized the project coordinator.
The LOWINFOOD partners declared that:
- The Regusto Bag is an effective tool to reduce food waste in restaurants, save money, and consume leftover food at home.
- Excessive orders and portions are confirmed as the main causes of food waste generation
- First courses and snacks are among the types of food most at risk of being wasted when eating out.
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For more information about the project, visit the following media :
This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No.101000439
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