FIRST LOWINFOOD DAY: The successful use of the Regusto bag in a restaurant
The positive results of the implementation of the Regusto bag were presented on the first LOWINFOOD DAY, celebrated on 3 May 2024, at the Tibidabo restaurant, the restaurant that has been collaborating with the project in the implementation of this innovation.
The event consisted of different presentations by LOWINFOOD partners in charge of this innovation, representatives of the coordinator partner UNITUS, and an online speech from the Honorable Maria Chiara Gadda, vice president of the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies and first signatory of Law 166/16, known as “anti-waste”, who recalled the opportunities provided by the Law for companies and the third sector.
During the event, the LOWINFOOD partners presented the consistent reduction in food waste achieved thanks to the Regusto bags: a 9% reduction in food waste in volume was recorded with 73% of restaurant customers declaring that they had not recorded food waste, noting that excessive orders and portions are the main causes of generation of waste.
The implementation of this innovation in the Tibidabo restaurant consisted of the distribution of the Regusto bag to customers who both ordered meals enabling them to reduce the excess food produced by the restaurant and those who after finishing the meal, took their leftovers home for later consumption. Each bag was equipped with a QR code linked to an online questionnaire that customers might fill out at the time of takeaway as well as after consumption.
Thanks to the precious contribution of partner restaurants, including Tibidabo, almost two thousand Regusto bags with QR codes were distributed, carrying out monitoring, through the collection of statistical data, on food management in restaurants and on consumers. The main objective was to quantify food waste outside the home and evaluate the effectiveness of the Regusto innovation in reducing it. Five partner restaurants were involved during the project. Overall, over 580 responses were collected from consumer surveys and 10 from restaurateurs.
The results obtained were extremely positive: both in kitchen operations and among restaurant customers, a 9% reduction in food waste by volume was recorded. Approximately 263 kg of food was taken away from participating restaurants thanks to the use of Regusto Bags. This amount represents food potentially saved by restaurants. The food consumed by customers once taken home exceeded 232 kg, highlighting a waste rate equal to only 11.8% of the total. “73% of restaurant customers declared that they had no food waste after using the Regusto bags,” emphasised the project coordinator Clara Cicatiello.
Among the most outstanding conclusions, the LOWINFOOD partners stated that:
- The Regusto Bag is an effective tool to reduce food waste in restaurants, save money and consume leftover food at home
- Excessive orders and portions are confirmed as the main causes of food waste generation
- First courses and snacks are among the types of food most at risk of being wasted when eating out
The event has been widely reported in the local media:
