The project «Stop Waste Heroes - Measuring food waste in households and educating communities through schools to accelerate behavioral change» is co-funded by the European Union.
Project number/acronym/call: Project: 101217063 — SMP-FOOD-2024-FW-STAKEHOLDERS-PJ
Granting authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)
Project duration: 14 months (from 01/07/2025 to 31/08/2026)
Total estimated budget:  €116.924,19 funded by 50%.
List of participants: VOUDOURI G. DESPOINA & SIA EE (Coordinator), HELLENIC SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE, MYLONAS SOTIRIOS & SIA EE (Beneficiaries)
Contact details: [email protected]

Food waste is a major global problem with far-reaching social, economic and environmental consequences. According to the latest figures from the European Union (EU), 70 per cent of total food waste originates from consumption and the retail sector, with households accounting for more than half of total food waste in the EU (54 per cent). For this reason, there is an urgent need to raise public awareness of food waste and to accelerate behavioural change at household level. Similarly, the need for reliable primary data on the volume of food waste generated in households is crucial for assessing the actual impact of any waste reduction policies and measures to be adopted.

The project aims to involve 200–250 households from different areas of the wider Athens metropolitan area, in order to ensure a sample that is as representative as possible. In addition to providing specially adapted information materials, for children aged 10–12, participating households will be asked to measure and record, over a short period of time,