As per official numbers, nearly 59 million tons of food (131 kg/inhabitant) are wasted in the EU each year with estimated market value of €132 billion. Over half of food waste (53%) is generated by households, followed by the processing and manufacturing sector (20%).

Fighting food waste is a triple win: it saves food for human consumption and thereby contributes to food security. It helps companies and consumers to save money, and it lowers the environmental impact of food production and consumption.

To accelerate the EU's progress, the Commission proposes that, by 2030, Member States reduce food waste by 10%, in processing and manufacturing, and by 30% (per capita), jointly at retail and consumption (restaurants, food services and households).

Also, recently published reports show that annually, European households and industry members together waste more food than is being imported in the region, generating around 6% of the EU's total share of greenhouse gas emissions.

Textile waste also burdens limited natural resources. Around 78% of the textiles waste is not separately collected by consumers and ends up in mixed household waste, destined to be incinerated or landfilled.

Tackling textile waste is crucial, since it can accumulate in huge landfills in various places on Earth, predominantly in poorer countries, but also because between 2000 and 2015, the production of fashion items doubled. Following this trend, experts believe that this could double again by 2030, unless we take action.

Furthermore, as much as 35% of the microplastics that can be found in the environment can be tracked to fashion items, such as synthetic clothes. This is a huge issue, because the tiny plastic particles eventually reach the oceans and the fish that we eat, virtually coming back to harm us.

This is why, by 2030, the EU's vision for the fashion market is that all textile products sold in the EU are to be durable, repairable and recyclable, with repair and re-use centers being more and more popular around the bloc.

Companies in the region will also be encouraged to adopt designs that are friendly with repairs and that can extend the lifecycle of a product. Also, to protect other countries around the world, the export of textile waste will also be restricted.