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Circular food systems entail that the food is produced regeneratively and, where appropriate, locally. Food and packaging waste are designed out entirely, while healthy, low-impact diets are promoted and easy to access. 

[Circle Economy](https://www.circle-economy.com/) is a not-for-profit organisation working to accelerate the circular transition. Through the *Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative*, our mission is to deliver an annual global Circularity Metric that measures the state of the world economy and identifies key levers to transition to global circularity. With nature as our guide, we work alongside cross-sector stakeholders from academia, businesses, NGOs and governments to provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable interventions that transform circular opportunities into realities. 

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Circular Food

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Limes and lemons - Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Business case

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

Processing and producing food and beverages for consumption

Food and Beverage

Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use

Design for the future

Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value

Team up to create joint value

Food losses and waste

Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

In a circular economy:

* Food is produced regeneratively and, where possible, locally; 
* Biomass is optimally used—from agricultural by-products to manure, rainwater or used water; 
* Food losses and waste and packaging waste are designed out entirely; 
* Healthy, planetary diets are promoted and easier to access; and 
* Environmental and economic benefits are balanced with benefits to people and animals.

This definition builds on those of the [Ellen MacArthur Foundation](https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/cities-and-circular-economy-for-food), [Wageningen University](https://www.wur.nl/en/Dossiers/file/Circular-agrofood-system.htm), the [Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy](https://pacecircular.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/circular-economy-action-agenda-food_0.pdf ) (PACE), as well as Circle Economy’s own work in analysing the climate mitigation potential of [circular food interventions](http://circularity-gap.world/2021).

Explore the different themes under this definition below.

Circular food themes

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Explore different themes under the concept of 'circular food'

        Better understanding and use of date marking on food, i.e. "use by" and "best before" dates, by all actors concerned, can prevent and reduce food waste in the EU.A study carried out by the European Commission (2018), estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated annually in the EU are linked to date marking.   In order to help inform its work on date marking, the Commission launched a study to map how date marking is used in the market by food business operators and control authorities.The market study found wide variation in date marking practices within product categories surveyed in the EU. The legibility of date marks was judged to be poor for 11% of products sampled. The study highlights the role that strengthened cooperation and innovation in the food supply chain can play in preventing food waste and finds that additional guidance may be needed to facilitate food redistribution past the "best before" date.Based on the study's findings, the authors conclude that avoidable food waste linked to date marking is likely to be reduced where:a date mark is present, its meaning is clear and it is legible;consumers have a good understanding of the meaning of date marking (and the difference between "use by" as an indicator of safety and "best before" as an indicator of quality); "use by" dates are used only where there is a safety-based rationale for doing so, consistent with the Regulation on Food Information to Consumersthe product life stated on the packaging is consistent with the findings of safety and quality tests, and is not shortened unnecessarily by other considerations, such as product marketing;storage and open life guidance are consistent with the findings of safety and quality tests;there is a level of consistency in storage of food at retail and guidance for consumers regarding the temperatures at which products should be stored in the home.Market study on date marking and other information provided on food labels and food waste prevention.   Misinterpretation by consumers of the meaning of the "use by" and "best before" dates can contribute to household food waste. As called for by the new Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission will propose, by the end of 2022, the revision of EU rules on date marking. In doing so, the Commission aims to prevent food waste linked to misunderstanding and/or misuse of these dates, whilst ensuring that any proposed change meets consumers’ information needs and does not jeopardise food safety.The Commission is currently carrying out an impact assessment (with public and targeted consultations) to support its proposal, as well as consumer research to identify new ways of expressing date marking that meet consumers’ information needs whilst minimising food waste. The Commission published its inception impact assessment on 23 December 2020, which considers different policy options and describes the work that will be carried out in this regard. The document is publicly available here.   Consumer research to support the proposal to revise EU rules on date markingThe consumer research findings will shed light on how consumers themselves understand and use these dates and will identify and test new ways of expressing date marking (e.g. changes in terminology, format, visual presentation) in order to identify options that meet consumers’ information needs, whilst avoiding unnecessary food waste linked to the misunderstanding and misuse of date marking.The consumer research is on-going and so far the contractor in charge of this work has carried out:an inventory and review of evidence on consumer behaviour regarding date marking and food waste;stakeholder interviews (including with national authorities);consumer focus groups across 10 Member States during which a set of policy options has been tested.Following the focus groups, policy options (in all EU official languages) have been further refined in view of testing these through quantitative consumer research to be carried out through online surveys in 27 Member States and, at a final stage, through a laboratory experiment in selected Member States to assess how these policy options influence consumers’ decision-making process.On 30 November 2021, the Commission held an online targeted consultation, with members of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste and food labelling experts from the Member States, related to the revision of EU date marking rules and this consumer research. The aim  was to exchange with participants on the date marking policy options developed so far to help inform the next phases of this work. Comments received will allow further refining of these options before proceeding with fieldwork to test the effectiveness of the selected policy options in avoiding food waste linked to date marking.Background material of this meeting:Presentation by the CommissionPresentation by the contractor in chargePrevious studies:Flash Eurobarometer 425 on food waste and date markingIn 2015, the Commission carried out pan-European quantitative consumer research in order to find out more about people's attitudes to food waste prevention. The study also looked into citizen's awareness, understanding and use of date marking on food products.Flash Eurobarometer 425 on food waste and date markingBehavioural study on consumer choices linked to date markingDuring EXPO 2015, a behavioural study on consumers' food choices and eating habits was conducted to explore how consumers respond to the absence of "best before" dates on shelf stable, non-perishable foods such as: pasta, coffee, UHT orange juice and canned tomato sauce. The study highlights the importance of the "best before" date in reassuring consumers about product quality and safety throughout their shelf life. The presence of the "best before" date also reduces the likelihood of consumers throwing away foods before the end of the period indicated on the food labels.More information and the Report at the Commission's site on Behavioural research   How date marking is utilised by food business operators and regulatory authorities in managing the supply chain can also have an impact on food waste. For example, the approaches followed by food business operators in defining date marking (e.g. whether to utilise a "use by" or "best before" date), market practices (such as the amount of shelf life required by retailers on product delivery) and national rules on the further distribution and use of foods past the "best before" date, can all influence the generation of food waste in the supply chain.In this context, the Commission requested a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in order to support food business operators in the application of relevant EU rules. Helping food business operators in their decision making on the choice between "use by" or "best before" dates and on setting the appropriate shelf-life, storage conditions and open life instructions will improve the understanding and use of date marking and contribute to the better management of foods by all actors, which will have an impact on food waste reduction.   Mandate to EFSA for a scientific opinion on date marking and related food informationWith the first scientific opinion (adopted in October 2020), EFSA experts have developed a risk-based approach to be followed by food business operators when deciding on the type of date marking (i.e. "use by" versus "best before" date), when setting the product shelf-life and when identifying the related information to provide on labelling in order to ensure food safety.EFSA also developed a decision tree, consisting of a series of questions, to assist food business operators in choosing the type of date marking for their products.The second opinion (adopted in March 2021), focusses on other food information aspects, such as storage conditions, time limits for consumption after opening, defrosting advice for consumers and thawing practices.  
     

          The Consumer Goods Forum and Champions 12.3 issue landmark call to use two simple date labels by 2020 NEW YORK, 20th September 2017 — “Sell by,” “Use by,” “Display until,” “Best before,” what do they all mean? Consumers around the world navigate a range of date labels on food products, and the resulting confusion costs families up to $29 billion annually in the United States alone. The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) – a network of 400 of the biggest consumer goods companies across 70 countries – along with Champions 12.3 has approved a Call to Action to standardise food date labels worldwide by 2020.
The CGF Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Call to Action to simplify date labels, including companies like Tesco, Kellogg, Walmart, Campbell Soup, Bimbo, Pick n Pay, Nestlé, Carrefour and Unilever. The Call to Action says retailers and food producers should take three important steps to simplify date labels and reduce food waste by 2020: 
Only one label at a time
Choice of two labels: one expiration date for perishable items (e.g. “Use by”) and one food quality indicator for non-perishable items (e.g., “Best if used by”). The exact wording will be tailored to regional context
Consumer education to better understand what date labels mean
 The announcement expands national efforts to streamline date labels in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan to the rest of the world. 
In addition to the labels on products, the Call to Action recommends companies partner with nonprofit organisations and government agencies to educate consumers about how to interpret date labels. Education efforts could include in-store displays, web materials and public service announcements. Many consumers don’t know, for example, that many products are still safe to eat past the “Best if used by” date.
“Four years ago, Tesco was one of the first retailers to roll out single date coding across our fresh food and meat produce. All the evidence from WRAP and our own Tesco research has shown that streamlining date codes helps customers waste less food and it also reduces waste in our own operations. That’s why it’s so important we extend this practice to more companies in every country. Streamlining date labels worldwide by 2020 could be game-changing in the fight against global food waste”, said Dave Lewis, Group Chief Executive of Tesco and Chair of Champions 12.3.
“Kellogg Company is working to reduce food loss and waste along the production and supply chains, and we want to encourage consumers to be part of the solution too. As a global food company, we work to reduce hunger, improve nutrition and protect the planet”, said Maria Fernanda Mejia, Sr. Vice President of the Kellogg Company and President of Kellogg Latin America. “Simplifying food date labels is an important step forward in preventing food waste, and will help end the confusion related to ‘sell by’ dates. Kellogg is an enthusiastic supporter of improved and harmonised food labelling standards to help educate and empower consumers to prevent food waste, save their families money, and conserve resources to protect our planet”. 
“Walmart has worked with its suppliers to support the use of standardised date labels that provide consistent and transparent information to better reflect product’s shelf life”, said Katherine Neebe, Director for Sustainability at Walmart. “I commend CGF for leveraging their influence to support customer-friendly labelling practices”.
An estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food worldwide is lost or wasted each year. The average UK household with children spends £700 a year on food that’s thrown away – in the United States, that figure is $1,500. Standardising food date labels is a simple and effective way to reduce the amount of edible food thrown out by households, saving them money and reducing their environmental footprint. Food loss and waste is a major contributor to climate change, emitting 8 percent of annual greenhouse gases.
“Now more than ever is the time for business to play a leading role in tackling food waste. This is an issue that can only truly be tackled by collaboration across the value chain. Through our global membership, the CGF is committed to playing a leadership role. We believe simplified and consistent date labelling will help us get one step closer to meeting our resolution to halve food waste by 2025 while also helping reduce confusion for consumers”, said Peter Freedman, Managing Director of The Consumer Goods Forum.
Today’s announcement was made at a Champions 12.3 event at The Rockefeller Foundation during Climate Week and the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. This week marks two years since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals. At the event, Champions 12.3 also launched SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2017 Progress Report, which takes stock of global progress to date toward halving food waste and reducing food loss by 2030.
“The Sustainable Development Goals have given us a historic opportunity and we must rise to the challenge”, said Hans Hoogeveen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UN Organizations for Food and Agriculture. “Of all the SDGs, Target 12.3 is the only one to my knowledge that is being advocated by a coalition like Champions 12.3 with leaders from every sector mobilising action to achieve success. We stand a great chance, but a lot of work remains”. 
The report finds that countries and companies are setting reduction targets aligned with SDG Target 12.3 – today, 28 percent of the world’s population live in a country or region with a target to reduce food loss and waste, and nearly 60 percent of the world’s 50 largest food companies have set reduction targets.
Innovative initiatives are also taking off, especially in the private sector. A growing number of the 50 largest food companies now have active food loss and waste reduction programmes. However, the report finds an insufficient number of governments and companies are measuring and reporting food loss and waste, a key step to identifying hotspots and knowing whether strategies are having impact.
“It is good to see clear signs of momentum building behind the movement to tackle food loss and waste and the leadership being demonstrated by individual Champions and others”, said Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director, Food Loss and Waste at World Resources Institute. “However, 2030 is only 13 years away, and more is needed. We now have a roadmap for how to cut in half the more than 1 billion tonnes of food that goes uneaten each year, and it’s vital that governments and the private sector everywhere put it to use”. 
“The report we co-authored with WRI shows we are moving in the right direction, but we need to build momentum quickly. We need action from everyone from governments, businesses, NGOs and us all in our homes: uniting in the food waste fight”, said Marcus Gover, Chief Executive of WRAP. “It is also essential that developing nations get the financial support they need to tackle food loss and waste. We have gathering impetus, and now we have something which could help navigate us all to our destination. There is no time to lose”.
Read SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2017 Progress Report here: https://champions123.org/2017-progress-report/ — Ends — About Champions 12.3
Champions 12.3 is a coalition of more than three dozen leaders across government, business and civil society dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilising action, and accelerating progress toward achieving Target 12.3 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Target 12.3 calls on the world to “halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses” by 2030.
The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the World Resources Institute serve as co-secretariats of Champions 12.3. For more information, visit www.Champions123.org CHAMPIONS INCLUDE: 

Dave Lewis, Group Chief Executive, Tesco (Chair)
Erik Solheim, Executive Director, United Nations Environment (Co-Chair)
Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety
Peter Bakker, President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
John Bryant, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Kellogg Company
Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nestlé
Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of  Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam

Michael La Cour, Managing Director, IKEA Food Services AB

Wiebe Draijer, Chairman of the Executive Board, Rabobank
Shenggen Fan, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
Peter Freedman, Managing Director, The Consumer Goods Forum
Louise Fresco, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director, Food Loss and Waste, World Resources Institute
Marcus Gover, Chief Executive Officer, Waste and Resources Action Programme
Hans Hoogeveen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UN Organizations for Food and Agriculture
Gilbert Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development 
Selina Juul, Chairman of the Board and Founder, Stop Wasting Food Movement in Denmark
Yolanda Kakabadse, President, WWF International
Sam Kass, Former White House Chef, Founder of TROVE and Venture Partner, Acre Venture Partners
Michel Landel, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Sodexo
Esben Lunde Larsen, Minister of Environment and Food, Denmark
José Antonio Meade, Minister of Finance, Mexico
Gina McCarthy, Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Denise Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Soup Company
Kanayo Nwanze, Former President, International Fund for Agricultural Development
Rafael Pacchiano, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Mexico
Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever
Juan Lucas Restrepo Ibiza, Chairman, Global Forum on Agricultural Research
Judith Rodin, Former President, The Rockefeller Foundation
Oyun Sanjaasuren, Chair, Global Water Partnership
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Vice President for Country Support, Policy and Delivery, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
Feike Sijbesma, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Managing Board, Royal DSM
Rajiv Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation
Andrew Steer, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Resources Institute
Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme
Tristram Stuart, Founder, Feedback
Rhea Suh, President, Natural Resources Defense Council
Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Former Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, The African Union
Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder, Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Olam International
Tom Vilsack, Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Senzeni Zokwana, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa
 For further information, please contact:
Lee Green, The Consumer Goods Forum, l.green@theconsumergoodsforum.com 
Lauren Zelin, World Resources Institute, +1 202-729-7736, lzelin@wri.org 
Jillian Holzer, World Resources Institute, +1 202-729-7754, jholzer@wri.org       

As a leading multinational retailer, with more than 345,000 colleagues, we aim to serve customers every day with affordable, healthy and sustainable food – to help them enjoy a better quality of life and an easier way of living.

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Kellogg

Walmart Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Walmart 

Unilever 

Consumer Goods Forum

Campbell Soup

Bimbo

Pick n Pay

Nestlé

Carrefour is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, France. The eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue, it operates a chain of hypermarkets, groceries stores and convenience stores, which as of December 2021, comprises its 13,894 stores in over 30 countries.

Carrefour

<p>Major food producers and retailers such as Tesco, Kellogg, Walmart, Campbell Soup, Bimbo, Pick n Pay, Nestlé, Carrefour and Unilever committed to the Consumer Goods Forum and Champions 12.3's call to simplify date labels and reduce food waste by 2020. The call asks for 1) only one label to be placed on food products at a time 2) use expiration dates for perishable items (for example, a 'Use by' label) or use a food quality indicator for non-perishable items (for example, a 'Best if used by' label) and 3) greater consumer education to better understand what date labels mean. [1] A study carried out by the European Commission in 2018 estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated annually in the EU are linked to date marking. [2]</p>

Food producers and retailers commit to simplify food date labels worlwide

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This collection features a selection of inspiring examples of the circular economy, compiled in the context of the Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains programme (SWITCH).

Launched in 2020, SWITCH is a five-year initiative that assists EU multinational companies and their suppliers from developing countries to switch to more circular economy approaches and practices in three selected value chains: [Plastic Packaging](https://knowledge-hub.circle-lab.com/switchtocircular/search?collections=832%3D0&framework_elements__5=111), [Textile & Garments](https://knowledge-hub.circle-lab.com/switchtocircular/search?collections=832%3D0&framework_elements__5=99), and ICT and Electronics.

The overall objective of SWITCH is to support the “transformation towards a circular economy”, and to contribute to sustainable growth, low carbon and climate resilient development, decent jobs creation, and a safer, healthier and pollution-free environment.

SWITCH is co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Finland, and implemented by UNIDO, in collaboration with Chatham House, Circle Economy, and the European Investment Bank.
Learn more at www.switchtocircular.eu

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Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains

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Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Contributing to the improvement of biodiversity including species diversity, total number of protected species, and ecosystem health

Biodiversity

Providing goods on the Internet, through mail order, or television, or providing goods in stores, including apparel, electronics, furniture, food and drug, etc.

Retail

Producing basic and specialty chemicals, inks, agricultural chemical such as fertilisers and pesticides, plastics including packaging, and rubber

Chemical and Plastic

Using materials that can be easily reused or recycled after use

Reusable, recyclable materials and inputs

Transforming waste products, materials for reuse within other industries

Open loop upcycling

Selling high quality, long-lasting products

Sale of durable, long-lasting goods

Designing products to remove any barriers to recycling and enable easy recyclability

Design for recycling

Designing products to be reused for the same or different purposes in multiple lifecycles

Design for reuse

Designing products to resist damage and wear, and serve a long and useful life.

Design for physical durability

Working together with stakeholders and parties in other unrelated industries to implement circular economy strategies and opportunities

Cross-industry projects, pilots

Impacts

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          In 2019, Carrefour Belgium launched a new range of reusable and recyclable carrier bags made from end-of-life fishing nets and ropes. Carrefour Belgium has collaborated with SEAQUAL INITIATIVE to have access to the Upcycled Marine Plastic used in making these eco-friendly bags.          In 2019, Carrefour Belgium launched a new range of reusable and recyclable carrier bags made from end-of-life fishing nets and ropes. 
Carrefour Belgium has collaborated with SEAQUAL INITIATIVE to have access to the Upcycled Marine Plastic used in making these bags and estimates that around 10 kilograms of Upcycled Marine Plastic are used in the production of every 100 bags. These recycled plastic bags are available in all of the 800 Carrefour stores in Belgium.
Carrefour is collaborating with SEAQUAL INITIATIVE to support ocean clean-ups to take action against marine litter. 
                   

Belgium

SEAQUAL INITIATIVE is a community of individuals, organizations and companies working together to help clean our oceans, raise awareness of the issue of marine litter and highlight those helping to fight it.

Seaqual

<p>In 2019, Carrefour Belgium launched a new range of reusable and recyclable carrier bags made from end-of-life fishing nets and ropes. Carrefour Belgium has collaborated with SEAQUAL INITIATIVE to have access to the Upcycled Marine Plastic used in making these eco-friendly bags.</p>