Every Plate Counts: LIPOR invites you to live without waste

Aware of the urgency of this problem, LIPOR has been developing and implementing innovative projects that reduce food waste and promote the circular economy.

Among the main projects we can highlight:

With the "Dose Certa" (Right Portion) – already implemented in 76 establishments (canteens and restaurants), 27% of waste was avoided, allowing for a reduction of more than one-third in CO₂eq emissions associated with food waste.

After a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Dose Certa project, the positive environmental impacts were reinforced: 36.4% fewer CO₂eq emissions, which represents over 6.4 million kg of CO₂eq avoided. This result is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 735 households, 53,300 Lisbon-Porto trips and the carbon sequestration of 640 trees.

The "Embrulha.” (Wrap It Up), initiative implemented in over 200 restaurants, enabled around 112 tons of food to be saved, encouraging customers to take home what they didn't eat. On average, each customer takes home about 140g of their meal.

The local network for the distribution of surplus food ensures that what is excess for some becomes an opportunity for others. In 2025, 18 partners helped prevent around 1,865 tons of food from being wasted.

LIPOR’s waste prevention strategy is based on valuing resources and promoting a circular economy. When a restaurant adopts Dose Certa, when a family learns to cook without waste, when a customer uses Embrulha., or when surplus food is redirected, everyone is contributing to a more sustainable future.

On the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, the message is clear: we need more citizens, families, and establishments to become aware of this issue and join the movement.

LIPOR challenges restaurants, canteens, and other partners to join this network and show that it is possible to serve well, satisfy customers, and at the same time, respect the planet.

Every day, millions of meals end up in the trash. In 2022, 1.05 billion tons of food were wasted worldwide — nearly a fifth of all food intended for human consumption. Households alone were responsible for 631 million tons, about 60% of the total (UN, 2024).

In the European Union, food waste amounts to over 59 million tons per year, equivalent to 132 kg per inhabitant, with an economic impact of 132 billion euros (European Commission, 2024).

In Portugal, the numbers are also striking: in 2023, 1.93 million tons of food were wasted, with households accounting for over 1.29 million tons - about 182.7 kg per person per year (INE, 2025).