| Description | The ZeroW project (“Systemic Innovations Towards a Zero Food Waste Supply Chain”) is an EU‑funded initiative aimed at transforming Europe’s food system by drastically reducing food loss and waste (FLW). The project acknowledges that about one‑third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which harms the economy, the environment and social equity. ZeroW therefore seeks to halve FLW by 2030 and reach near‑zero levels by 2050. Its immediate target is to achieve a 25 % reduction in food loss and waste at the micro level by the end of the project through a suite of innovations developed and tested in nine “Systemic Innovation Living Labs” (SILLs).
ZeroW applies a systemic innovation approach across the entire food supply chain, from production to consumption. The Living Labs address specific stages and actors, including: wasteless greenhouse solutions and mobile processing units for farmers; early identification and valorisation of “ugly” food and data‑driven production control for processors; biodegradable packaging with smart labels for retailers and consumers; store/warehouse food waste valorisation; and consumer‑focused nudging tools to encourage sustainable food choices. Other labs focus on FLW monitoring and assessment, sustainable packaging, mobile food valorisation as a service, efficient food bank networks, FLW valorisation through algae production, and consumer behaviour change. These innovations are designed to keep resources in use, reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions and ensure food is retained within the supply chain for human consumption.
Beyond technological solutions, ZeroW emphasises the collection and analysis of FLW data and the creation of a 0FLW data space to enable data‑driven decision‑making. The project also develops business exploitation strategies and a macro‑economic model to evaluate impacts and inform policy recommendations for a just transition to near‑zero FLW by 2050. All innovations will reach Technology Readiness Level 7 (system prototypes demonstrated in real‑life environments) by the end of the project, with teams planning commercialisation after 2025. These activities are accompanied by life‑cycle assessments to ensure that the solutions themselves have smaller environmental footprints.
ZeroW is funded under the EU’s Green Deal call of the Horizon 2020 programme (Grant Agreement No. 101036388). The project runs from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025 and has a total budget of about €12.9 million. Its consortium brings together 46 partners from 17 countries, including research institutes, technology providers, food companies and public agencies. By demonstrating scalable innovations in nine real‑life food chains, ZeroW aims to create a clear FLW impact trajectory, delivering results by 2025 that support the Farm‑to‑Fork goals for 2030 and pave the way for a near‑zero waste food system by 2050. |
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