The Dutch threw out just over 33 kilos of fruit and veg per person last year, almost a kilo down on 2019 but the downward trend has nevertheless stalled, figures from the food information centre Voedingscentrum have shown.

The Voedingcentrum probe, which takes place every three years, looks at the rubbish produced by 130 households and the organic waste from 110 households in 13 local authority areas.

Top of the list of food most often binned are pasta and bread, followed by vegetables, fruit, potatoes and dairy products. Together these make up half the food waste total.

The official aim is to halve food waste by 2030. The downward trend which saw a fall of seven kilos between 2013 and 2019 has stalled, however, and if this continues experts fear this goal will not be met.

Households may now need to make more complex changes to further reduce food waste, sustainable food expert Lilou van Lieshout told broadcaster NOS.  ‘That is why we need to make avoiding binning food as easy as possible for consumers… If we all manage to throw out 250 grammes of food less a week we will be well on the way.’

Changes in behaviour start at the supermarket, Zero Waste Nederland founder Elisah Pals told the broadcaster. ‘Very often we buy more than we need, or we shop when we’re hungry. A shopping list, or thinking about what you really need, helps.’

The Voedingscentrum says supermarkets also have a role to play. Among the centre’s recommendations is a call on supermarkets to sell smaller portions and include clearer communication on proper storage of products and sell-by dates.