Function: REDISTRIBUTION

Milan is the world leader in innovative urban food waste policies. The city adopted a comprehensive food policy with the overall objective of increasing the sustainability of its food system (2015) and the goal of cutting food waste by 50% by 2030, in line with the target 12.3 of the UN SDGs. This led to the design of innovative and participatory solutions to fight food waste by establishing an FSI, the Local Food Waste Hubs (SFR). The city promoted the initiative together with the Politecnico of Milano University and Assolombarda (private sector union), engaging a network of 32 organizations, from the civil society, private sector, and scientific research, to save 290 tons of food in 2022, donated to 3500 families in Milan.

The four hubs launched so far recover food surpluses from local supermarkets and canteens and redistribute them to people in need through neighbourhood networks. A hub established within the wholesale market of fruit and vegetables recovers food losses directly from producers and wholesalers to donate to local organizations. The municipality and other organizations sponsored the initiative exploiting unused spaces dedicated to stocking. They redistributed recovered food to local charities involved in the project while sponsors ensure the economic sustainability of the hubs.

Contact person: Matteo Matteini, Milan Municipality.

Email: matteo.matteini@comune.milano.it