A third of Saudi food is wasted says leading charity

The Executive Director of Etaam Charitable Food Bank, Abdullah al-Thanayan revealed that a third of the food people in Saudi cook goes to waste, while the Ministry of Agriculture stated that food waste has increased in urban areas by 34 percent, which indicates that large amounts of food are being thrown away.

The ministry added that the volume of food waste had reached 250 kg per person per year.

Thanayan highlighted the importance of the role played by Etaam in utilizing the surplus food and transferring it in a professional manner to beneficiaries. He said: “We always pay attention not to use food that has been touched in order to avoid diseases. We also do not handle food which cannot be preserved.”

Etaam received two awards a week and a half ago. The first award was granted in Qatar for social projects pioneering in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the second was granted by “Arabian Business” magazine specialized in the field of finance and business during the annual ceremony of the magazine held in Riyadh. This award was titled: “2015 Best Social initiative in the Kingdom” at the corporate level and was handed to board member Issam al-Muhaideb. The awards have helped boost moral among Etaam workers, encouraging them to continue their humanitarian mission.

Muhaideb urged all consumers in the Kingdom to contribute to the reduction of food waste, explaining that excess and overindulgence factors increase waste on all levels. The number of meals saved in 2014 amounted to 699,168 in the eastern province and Riyadh.

Etaam initiative began in the eastern province and is currently working to expand across the Kingdom.