It's not enough! A call for food rescue

Every year, the food banks save countless tons of food from the landfill and support people in need. But the bitter truth is: it's not enough! While more and more individuals and families are in need of help, huge quantities of food are senselessly thrown away. Stop the waste! The food banks are calling on companies and retailers to take responsibility: Every surplus product can alleviate poverty and bring food to where it is really needed!

Awareness is growing

Never before has so much food been saved from destruction. In 2024, over 7,700 tons of edible food and everyday goods were collected and redistributed - a new record.

This corresponds to an increase of around 9% compared to the previous year. Thanks to the commitment of thousands of volunteers with a total of more than 438,000 hours of voluntary work, this food could be redistributed.

Nevertheless, the situation remains tense: With the amount of food rescued, almost 75,000 people affected by poverty throughout Austria could be regularly supported - far too few in view of the increasing need. Around 1.1 million people across Austria are affected by food poverty. The food banks are therefore increasingly appealing to companies and producers to donate surplus goods instead of destroying them.

Growing poverty - and still too much pointless waste

"The food banks do an indispensable job in the fight against food waste. But the latest figures clearly show that far too many edible products that could be put to good use still end up in the bin. This is not only a social tragedy, but also a massive burden on the environment," explains Erwin Hehenberger, Chairman of the Austrian Food Bank Association. "By expanding our food bank network, we are creating the basis for reaching even more people affected by poverty and further increasing the potential for food redistribution."

Call to companies - every product counts

Food-producing companies have the opportunity to actively take responsibility and donate surplus goods to food banks. Donating goods is not only a contribution to combating poverty, but also an effective way of reducing CO₂ emissions and operating more sustainably.

Companies benefit in many ways from working with food banks: by making sustainable use of surplus products, they make an important contribution to reducing food waste and conserving valuable resources. At the same time, donating goods can bring tax advantages. In addition, supporting the food banks strengthens a company's social responsibility and demonstrates its commitment to social justice. Last but not least, these donations help to support people in acute need and provide them with urgently needed food.

Together against poverty and waste - act now!

The food banks invite companies to work together to save even more food and put it to good use. Every contribution counts - be it in the form of food donations, hygiene articles, other urgently needed goods or financial support to further expand the logistical distribution.

For all those who would like to become active, here is the link.