REFRESH (resource efficient food and drink for the entire supply chain) brings together 26 partners from 12 European countries as well as China, and focuses on reducing avoidable food waste and better valuing food resources. Key foci include understanding the drivers of food waste and supporting decision-making at the industrial and individual levels to reduce food loss along value chains, minimize waste management costs, and maximize the value of unavoidable waste and packaging. The project aims to implement strategic agreements and technological innovations, as well as make policy recommendations at both the national and European levels, to support the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of reducing global per-capita food waste to half of the current level.
Duration: July 1 2015 – 30 June 2019 (completed)
Project website: eu-refresh.org
CREDA’s Role
CREDA coordinates all of the activities of the Spanish platform, serving as liaison between the REFRESH project and members of the platform. Meanwhile, CREDA undertakes surveys and disseminating their results, implements and evaluates pilot projects, and generally ensures that all participants and other platforms are coordinated and kept up-to-date with legislation, trends, and general information concerning food waste. Other specific tasks include designing the blueprint for action on and wider adoption of food waste prevention strategies, participating in European events and conferences, and strengthening the synergy between research projects at the European level (for example, the pilot project studying the value chains of peaches across Spain, the UK, and Italy).