Food waste in the company refers to all the foodstuffs produced, bought or prepared for workplace catering, but never consumed. In Switzerland, where food waste represents several million tonnes per year, collective catering has a real role to play. Here is the scale of the phenomenon, its causes, and the concrete levers to reduce it.
Food waste is a major issue in Switzerland. According to the estimates of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the work relayed by foodwaste.ch, the country wastes on the order of several million tonnes of foodstuffs each year, spread all along the chain, from the fields to the plate.
Catering, including collective catering in the company, is one of the links concerned, alongside households, retail and production.
The precise figures evolve according to studies and methodologies. We cite here orders of magnitude drawn from Swiss public sources. For CSR reporting, it is recommended to refer to the most recent official data (FOEN, foodwaste.ch).
Beyond the figure, the challenge is threefold: environmental (emissions linked to the production of lost food), economic (foodstuffs paid for and then thrown away) and reputational (growing expectations of employees and stakeholders regarding sustainability).
Several structural causes explain the waste in workplace catering.
Reducing food waste in the company happens through a combination of measures.
The first lever is data. Tracking precisely what is consumed, day by day, makes it possible to adjust the quantities and avoid overproduction. This is where connected solutions change the game.
Rather than throwing away, one can redistribute:
The question of packaging is linked but distinct. Some players bet on the reusable container (glass), others on lighter packaging to reduce the footprint of transport. Both approaches have their logic, depending on whether the priority is zero packaging waste or the lightening of the carbon footprint of deliveries.
Finally, awareness matters. Displaying the impact, encouraging good practices and involving employees strengthens the results sustainably.
The connected fridge acts directly on the first cause of waste: the lack of visibility and adjustment.
At Qibi, this logic is at the heart of the model: adjusted production, remote stock tracking and use of unsold items. To understand the complete functioning, see our connected fridge guide.
Switzerland wastes on the order of several million tonnes of foodstuffs per year, spread over the whole chain, from production to households. Collective catering is one of the links concerned. For precise figures, refer to the official sources (FOEN, foodwaste.ch).
Mainly because of the difficulty of forecasting demand, the short shelf life of fresh dishes, the lack of visibility over stocks and standardized portions.
By adjusting the offer to demand thanks to data, by making use of unsold items (donations, anti-waste platforms, promotions), by rethinking packaging and by raising awareness among teams.
Yes. Real-time stock tracking makes it possible to adjust the offer to actual consumption and to limit overproduction, and unsold items are made use of via reduced prices, donations or anti-waste platforms.
More and more. CSR departments integrate catering into their assessments. Reducing waste has an environmental, economic and employer-brand impact.
Qibi installs connected fridges that adjust the offer to actual consumption and make use of unsold items, for fresh meals with less waste.
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