Toidujäätmete teke Eesti kaubandus- ja toiduainetööstusettevõtetes

The report investigates food waste in Estonia's retail and food processing industries, finding that while overall waste levels are lower than in more developed European nations, significant 'food loss' occurs due to retail forecasting difficulties and consumer behavior. In retail, approximately 12,000 tonnes of food are written off annually, valued at 22 million euros, with fruits and vegetables making up the largest share by weight. In the food industry, waste is heavily concentrated in the meat sector, though much of the output is classified as by-products rather than waste. The report identifies transport costs, labor shortages, and legal ambiguities regarding taxes and hygiene as primary barriers to donating surplus food to the Food Bank (Toidupank).

• In 2013, retail companies in Estonia generated approximately 5,290 tonnes of separately collected food waste, consisting of bio-waste, animal tissue waste, and food oils/fats.
• Detailed analysis suggests that approximately 12,000 tonnes of food are not sold and are written off annually in Estonian retail stores, with a total estimated cost value of 22 million euros based on purchase price.
• The volume of unsold food varies significantly by store size: large stores (super- and hypermarkets) average 128 kg per day, medium stores average 29 kg, and small stores average 4.8 kg.
• Fruits and vegetables constitute the largest share of unsold food by weight (47%), while meat products and ready-to-eat meals have the highest financial impact, accounting for 24% and 23% of the total cost of written-off goods respectively.
• The primary drivers of retail food waste are the difficulty of sales planning and forecasting, consumer preferences and habits, and strict quality requirements for appearance, particularly for fruits and vegetables.
• In the food processing sector, 79% of separately collected food waste in 2013 came from the meat industry, totaling 2,680.58 tonnes, primarily consisting of animal tissue waste.
• Food processing waste is often driven by inherent production processes (e.g., cleaning residues, rapeseed cake, whey) and technological problems, with 51% of surveyed companies citing production characteristics as the main cause.
• Donations to the Food Bank (Toidupank) are common among large retailers (31% of respondents), but rare in the food industry (16% of respondents).
• Major barriers to food donation include the difficulty of organizing transport, the cost of separate storage, and legal uncertainties regarding VAT and income tax laws.
• Compared to other developed European countries (Finland, Sweden, Germany, UK), Estonia generates relatively less food waste per capita across the supply chain, with households accounting for over 70% of the total waste (approx. 70,000 tonnes/year).

APA

Moora, H., Urbel-Piirsalu, E., & Viilvere, T. (2015). Toidujäätmete teke Eesti kaubandus- ja toiduainetööstusettevõtetes. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4662.pdf

Chicago

Moora, Harri, Evelin Urbel-Piirsalu, and Triin Viilvere. Toidujäätmete teke Eesti kaubandus- ja toiduainetööstusettevõtetes. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2015. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4662.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Moora |first1=Harri |last2=Urbel-Piirsalu |first2=Evelin |last3=Viilvere |first3=Triin |title=Toidujäätmete teke Eesti kaubandus- ja toiduainetööstusettevõtetes |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4662.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{moora2015toidujtmete, author = {Moora, Harri and Urbel-Piirsalu, Evelin and Viilvere, Triin}, title = {{Toidujäätmete teke Eesti kaubandus- ja toiduainetööstusettevõtetes}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4662.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }