Toidujäätmete ja toidukao teke Eesti kodumajapidamistes ja toitlustusasutustes

This 2014 report by SEI Tallinn, funded by the Estonian Ministry of the Environment, provides the first detailed analysis of food waste and food loss in Estonian households and catering institutions. The study identifies households as the largest contributors to food waste and highlights significant potential for reduction in both domestic and professional food service settings.

• Estonian households generate an average of 2.5 kg of food waste per week (approximately 130.4 kg per year), with food loss (avoidable waste) accounting for 36% of this total. On an individual basis, this equates to 54.1 kg of total food waste and 16.8 kg of avoidable food loss per person annually.
• In households, cooked (ready-to-eat) food is the most significant component of avoidable waste at 35%, followed by fruits/berries and milk products/eggs, which each account for 16%. Grain products represent the smallest share of food loss at 1%.
• The primary driver for avoidable food loss in households is food spoilage, cited in 44% of cases. Other significant reasons include preparing too much food (14%), expiration dates passing (12%), food remaining in the fridge too long (12%), and plate leftovers (12%).
• Catering institutions in Estonia generate an estimated 13,000 tons of food waste and 9,000 tons of food loss annually. On average, food loss constitutes 59% of the total food waste in these institutions, with the highest proportion found in restaurants (87%) and the lowest in cafés (29%).
• Food loss per portion varies significantly by institution type, peaking in restaurants at 25.3% and reaching its lowest levels in school canteens (6.3%) and cafés (6.4%).
• The causes of food loss in catering differ by setting: hospitals report the highest share of plate leftovers (88%), while canteens and buffets see the highest loss from prepared food that remains unserved (46% in the serving phase).
• In educational settings, kindergartens generate more food loss per portion (18.2%) than schools (6.3%), primarily because kindergarten children leave more food on their plates.
• Household food waste patterns correlate with income and family structure. The lowest income group (201-400€ per member) has the highest proportion of avoidable waste (45%) relative to their total waste, often due to purchasing discounted products with short shelf lives that are not consumed in time.
• Among households, those with one or two children have the highest rate of food waste, with avoidable waste making up 58% and 42% of their total food waste respectively.

APA

Moora, H., Urbel-Piirsalu, E., & Õunapuu, K. (2014). Toidujäätmete ja toidukao teke Eesti kodumajapidamistes ja toitlustusasutustes. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/sei-2015-report-food-waste-and-food-loss-in-estonian-households-and-catering-institutions-sei-tallinn1.pdf

Chicago

Moora, Harri, Evelin Urbel-Piirsalu, and Kerlin Õunapuu. Toidujäätmete ja toidukao teke Eesti kodumajapidamistes ja toitlustusasutustes. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2014. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/sei-2015-report-food-waste-and-food-loss-in-estonian-households-and-catering-institutions-sei-tallinn1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Moora |first1=Harri |last2=Urbel-Piirsalu |first2=Evelin |last3=Õunapuu |first3=Kerlin |title=Toidujäätmete ja toidukao teke Eesti kodumajapidamistes ja toitlustusasutustes |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2014 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/sei-2015-report-food-waste-and-food-loss-in-estonian-households-and-catering-institutions-sei-tallinn1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{moora2014toidujtmete, author = {Moora, Harri and Urbel-Piirsalu, Evelin and Õunapuu, Kerlin}, title = {{Toidujäätmete ja toidukao teke Eesti kodumajapidamistes ja toitlustusasutustes}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/sei-2015-report-food-waste-and-food-loss-in-estonian-households-and-catering-institutions-sei-tallinn1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }