Food: here’s how to cope with price rises and reduce waste

On the one hand, there are the rising prices that are being felt; on the other, there is a focus on waste and a goal: to minimise the amount of food that goes uneaten and ends up being thrown away. These are two of the key themes of World Food Day, which numerous organisations and institutions are highlighting today.

In Italia, Greenpeace notes, ‘inflation is hitting fresh produce particularly hard’. ‘Data from ISME shows that the prices of vegetables, including courgettes, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce,’ they emphasise, ‘have seen producer price rises of between 40 per cent and 90 per cent compared with 2025. But putting a strain on consumers’ pockets are also price rises further down the supply chain, which can exceed 400 per cent in the case of carrots, grapes or aubergines’.

One of the key issues being highlighted today is the fight against food waste. Hence the call to avoid throwing away uneaten food, particularly in light of the figures relating to the global situation.

The analysis published by Coldiretti, based on data from the Research Centre, reveals that one in three people worldwide cannot afford an adequate meal due to the economic effects of wars and climate change, thereby undermining a fundamental human right: access to good, healthy food. ‘In its latest report on food crises, the FAO – as the confederation points out – highlighted that around 56 per cent of severe acute food insecurity is directly or indirectly attributable to wars, internal conflicts and geopolitical crises, with a further 11 per cent attributable to severe economic crises – often the consequence of political crises and conflicts – whilst 33 per cent is caused by extreme weather events.”

According to ActionAid’s report on food poverty in Italia, the high cost of living is taking its toll on younger generations. In 2024, the latest year for which figures are available, around 430,000 children and young people – 5.6 per cent of those under 16 – were living in households forced, for financial reasons, to make sacrifices regarding food or socialising. Some cannot afford fruit and vegetables or a protein-rich meal every day. These figures, unfortunately, show an increase, as in 2021 there were 419,000 children in this situation.