The “Don’t Waste Food” report, produced by the Federation of Polish Food Banks in partnership with Lidl Polska, found bread (55%), fruit (46%) and vegetables (44%) are most often discarded.
The main reason is passing the “use by” date, cited by 57% of respondents.
A year ago, 45% acknowledged throwing food away; now it is 63%. At the same time, 34% in 2025 say they do not waste food at all, and two in three respondents believe the amount discarded at home fell over the past 12 months.
“Poles are more aware, but we still throw away huge amounts of food,” said Beata Ciepła, president of the Federation of Polish Food Banks.
“Every loaf of bread or kilogram of fruit in the trash is wasted work, energy, water and transport,” she added, urging joint action by consumers, retailers and institutions.
The study highlights demographic and regional gaps. Waste is most common among 18–34-year-olds, three-quarters of whom say they regularly discard food. Fewer than 30% of seniors aged 65–74 report doing so.
Residents of the largest cities are more prone than those in smaller towns to impulse buys and promotions, increasing losses.
Some trends are improving. Three-quarters of consumers always or often check expiry dates, and more than half read ingredient lists. For 71% of respondents, a product’s composition directly influences purchasing decisions.
Still, improper storage and buying in excessive quantities—often spurred by multi-pack deals—remain persistent problems.
“Businesses have a special duty to fight food waste,” said Aleksandra Robaszkiewicz, corporate affairs and CSR director at Lidl Polska. She said the retailer optimizes orders, discounts short-dated products and runs customer education efforts.
The report argues consumer education alone will not significantly shrink losses and calls for systemic steps: easier redistribution of surplus food, clearer rules that support sharing, and stronger monitoring and reporting of waste.
It frames the challenge with broader figures: a global one billion tons of food wasted annually, 72 kilograms per person in Europe, and five million tons a year in Poland—numbers the report says signal the need for coordinated action by institutions, business and consumers.
(jh)
Source: PAP Mediaroom