How Dutch Supermarkets Are Keeping Food Waste at Record Lows
Wageningen, Friday, 31 July 2026.
Dutch supermarkets have maintained record-low food waste, with actual waste hitting just 0.9% of total stock, driven by a massive 20% drop in meat and fish losses.
An Agritech and Food Systems Milestone
This retail milestone represents a major development in the fields of food systems and agritech [1][2]. Rather than focusing on agricultural production alone, this innovation optimizes the downstream supply chain to prevent surplus food from becoming waste [1][2]. The initiative is driven by the Central Bureau for Food Trade (Centraal Bureau Levensmiddelenhandel, or CBL) and the foundation Stichting Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling, with funding from the Dutch Ministry of LVVN [1]. The research and methodology are executed by Wageningen University & Research (WUR), an institution based in Wageningen, Netherlands [1][GPT]. By combining data science, logistics, and retail management, these organizations have successfully helped Dutch supermarkets maintain food waste at its lowest level since monitoring began in 2018 [1].
How the Target-Measure-Act Methodology Works
At the core of this progress is the ‘Target-Measure-Act’ methodology implemented by WUR [1]. Under this framework, eleven major Dutch retail organizations—including Albert Heijn, Aldi, DekaMarkt, Dirk, Hoogvliet, Jumbo, Lidl, Plus, Picnic, Crisp, and Hello Fresh, which together represent approximately 90% of the market—voluntarily self-report their food loss data [1]. The data is categorized into specific product groups to track precise trends [1]. For instance, in 2025, total food loss stood at 1.2% of the total food supply, while the actual waste—excluding surplus food diverted to animal feed—was kept to just 0.9% [1]. This structured tracking allows researchers like Martijntje Vollebregt from WUR to analyze progress and identify remaining areas of opportunity, such as analyzing losses based on their carbon footprint [1].
The Benefits of Data-Driven Supply Chains
The environmental and financial benefits of this system are substantial. In 2025, the waste of fresh meat and fish decreased by 20% compared to 2024, resulting in a significant reduction in the sector’s carbon footprint [1]. Looking at long-term progress, bread and pastry waste fell from 7.7% in 2018 to 5.3% in 2025, while potatoes, vegetables, and fruit waste dropped from 2.7% to 2.0% over the same period [1]. To achieve these reductions, Dutch retailers use advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) for demand forecasting, which aligns inventory with actual consumer purchasing patterns [2]. Additionally, logistics optimizations like route planning, consolidating urban deliveries, and deploying electric trucks further minimize emissions and ensure fresh stock reaches shelves faster [2].
Dynamic Pricing and Consumer Engagement on the Ground
Beyond high-tech forecasting, supermarkets utilize highly practical, consumer-facing initiatives to clear expiring stock. Retailers utilize mobile apps like Too Good To Go, partner with food banks, and apply aggressive discounts to items nearing their expiration dates [2]. For example, the supermarket chain Plus has seen success by discounting near-expiry items to €0.50, allowing products to be purchased quickly while they are still perfectly edible [3]. To help consumers make better decisions at home, members of the ‘Coalitie Houdbaarheid’—including Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, Dirk, and DekaMarkt—have committed to placing clear ‘best before’ (THT) and ‘use by’ (TGT) icons on at least 50% of their private label products [2]. These combined efforts support the sector’s broader goal of reaching complete carbon neutrality by 2050 [2].