In Moldova, nearly 1.1 million portions of food are wasted daily, with half the population unable to afford basic food supplies - Veaceslav Ioniță
As part of the weekly program "Economic Analysis with Veaceslav Ioniță," the expert noted that approximately 180,000 tons of food is wasted annually in Moldova, with only 0.15% (26 tons) recycled or distributed through the Moldova Food Bank. Although the organization, in collaboration with retail chains, has been able to salvage increasing amounts in recent years (63 tons in 2022, 132 tons in 2023, 211 tons in 2024, and 124 tons in 2025), these figures are minimal compared to the scale of the problem. According to Veaceslav Ioniță, 56% of food waste is generated by households, followed by the food industry at 16%, retail at 10%, restaurants at 9.5%, and primary production at 8%. Meanwhile, Moldovans spend approximately 40% of their income on food, of which 5% is wasted, incurring financial losses that exceed spending on healthcare, education, or recreation. The situation worsens during the holiday season, when food consumption increases by more than 30%. On average, citizens spend 7,700 lei (up to 60% of their monthly income) on the holiday table, often resulting in the preparation of 150% more food than necessary. The expert estimates that during the holiday season alone, food worth at least 400 million lei is wasted each year. According to his calculations, the cost of food waste and losses in 2025 was 8.9 billion lei, and this figure could rise to 9.6 billion lei in 2026. Veaceslav Ioniță also noted that almost 10% of prepared food portions are thrown away in kindergartens due to incorrect measurement of volume, resulting in losses of approximately 150 million lei per year. The expert called on the population to be responsible and show solidarity, especially in the lead-up to the Easter holidays. He also announced that on April 4, before Palm Sunday, the Diaconia Social Mission will organize a national food collection, "Table of Joy," in major retail chains across the country. // 03.04.2026 – InfoMarket
