From plate to policy: how social norms can halve food waste in cities

Across Europe, cities are rethinking how to tackle food waste. In Bruges, trained residents working within their own neighbourhoods helped reduce household food waste by 65 percent. In Milan, public kitchens began sourcing “imperfect” vegetables, shifting perceptions of quality through procurement. These examples point to a shared insight: food waste is often shaped less by infrastructure and more by the norms that guide everyday decisions. Norms define what people believe is acceptable, expected or typical. This is the focus of Feeding People, Not Landfills, a new guidance document developed within the CHORIZO project. Drawing on behavioural science and tested city experiences, the guide presents an eight-step approach to designing interventions that shift social norms around food. It helps local governments work not just through policy, but through perception.