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European Food Banks Federation

FEBA

The European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) is a non-profit network representing food banks to fight food waste and hunger.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Niels Geuking (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Jan 2026 · Food banks

Response to Circular Economy Act

6 Nov 2025

In 2023, the EU generated over 58 million tonnes of food waste, valued at approximately 132 billion. Meanwhile, in 2024, 38.2 million people, corresponding to 8.5% of the EU population were unable to afford a meal with protein every second day. This stark contrast highlights the social and environmental challenges posed by food waste, which also accounts for roughly 16% of the EU food systems greenhouse gas emissions. The Circular Economy Act presents an opportunity to address food waste as part of the EUs transition to a circular economy, in line with the Green Deal and the revised Waste Framework Directive, which sets 2030 food waste reduction targets. Reducing food waste supports several Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 12.3, which aims to halve food waste by 2030. Food banks play a crucial role in this transition. In 2024, FEBAs network redistributed 834,000 tonnes of food to 12.2 million people, with a social return estimated at 12 for every 1 invested. Beyond social benefits, this work reduces greenhouse gas emissions and enhances resource efficiency. Key Policy Recommendations: Align the Circular Economy Act with EU circular economy policies to facilitate food redistribution. Recognise food banks as facilitators in Extended Producer Responsibility schemes. Integrate public procurement measures supporting circular goods and sustainable food donation logistics. Clarify labelling and date marking schemes to reduce avoidable food waste. Implement VAT exemptions and tax incentives for food donations, including innovative redistribution initiatives. Provide liability protections for food banks and donors to encourage safe food donation. Conclusion: A robust Circular Economy Act addressing food waste and promoting the circularity of the EU food system can deliver social, environmental, and economic benefits by reducing waste, limiting emissions, and increasing access to food for those in need. Recognising food banks as key implementing partners is essential for achieving Europes circularity objectives.
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Response to EU Anti-Poverty Strategy

24 Oct 2025

FEBA welcomes the European Commissions initiative to develop an EU Anti-Poverty Strategy (APS) as a key step toward reducing poverty and social exclusion across Europe. With 93.3 million people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, including 38.2 million unable to afford a meal with meat, fish, or a vegetarian equivalent every second day, urgent action is needed. Rising in-work poverty and persistent food insecurity highlight the need for both structural and immediate interventions. Food banks play a crucial role in alleviating poverty by providing essential food aid, fostering social inclusion, and creating pathways out of poverty. In 2024, FEBA members redistributed approximately 834,000 tonnes of food to 12.2 million people in need across 30 European countries. Volunteer engagement, exemplified by initiatives like the Algarve Solidarity Farm, strengthens social inclusion, skills development, and employability. Social Return on Investment studies from the Netherlands and Belgium demonstrate that every euro invested in food banks can generate significant social and economic benefits, including cost savings for public budgets. FEBA emphasizes the importance of a human rights-based approach within the APS, recognising access to adequate food as a fundamental right to complement broader anti-poverty objectives. Adequate and stable EU funding, including dedicated support through ESF+, is essential for food banks operations, allowing for the provision of material support to those most in need. FEBAs survey outcomes indicate ESF+ contributions enabled ten FEBA members to provide over 115 million meals and reach nearly 4 million beneficiaries in 2024. The APS must engage civil society and people with lived experiences of poverty in policy design and implementation. It should adopt a cross-sectoral approach reflecting the multi-dimensional nature of poverty, linking food aid to employment, education, health care, housing, and environmental policies. Strengthening social protection, ensuring adequate monitoring, and supporting local and regional partnerships are critical for achieving the poverty reduction target of 15 million people by 2030 under the EPSR Action Plan. FEBA also highlights the importance of systematic monitoring of food and material deprivation across the EU. At present, FEBA is working to support evidence-based policymaking through the launch of the United Data Framework, in order to quantify the social and environmental impact of food banks' activities. Key Policy Recommendations: 1. Adopt a human rights-based approach to food aid and material support. 2. Strengthen EU social funding for material support. 3. Ensure meaningful engagement of civil society and people with lived experience. 4. Adopt a cross-sectoral approach addressing the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. 5. Strengthen broader social protection measures. 6. Implement regular, robust monitoring of poverty, food insecurity, and material deprivation. In conclusion, the APS represents a vital opportunity to eradicate poverty and foster social inclusion across Europe. Food banks, supported by stable EU funding, civil society engagement, and evidence-based monitoring, are instrumental in achieving these objectives and ensuring that no one is left behind.
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Meeting with Eric Sargiacomo (Member of the European Parliament) and Humundi (ex-SOS Faim SOS Hunger) and POUR LA SOLIDARITÉ asbl

14 Oct 2025 · Conférence aide alimentaire

European Food Banks Federation urges recognition of food insecurity

9 Sept 2025
Topic — Updating the Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Message — The Commission should classify food as an essential service and define food insecurity. They also demand earmarking ten percent of social funding for food aid.123
Why — This secures permanent funding and integrates their activities into national social systems.45
Impact — Other social services lose funding flexibility because of the proposed budget earmarks.6
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European Food Banks Federation demands permanent civil society platform

5 Sept 2025
Topic — The EU is developing a strategy to protect and engage civil society organisations.
Message — FEBA recommends establishing a permanent Civil Society Platform with thematic sub-groups to foster targeted, cross-sectoral collaboration. They also call for earmarked European Social Fund Plus resources and reduced co-financing requirements for smaller organisations.12
Why — This would grant the federation long-term financial stability and formalize its role as a strategic partner.34
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Meeting with Miron Podgorean (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

23 May 2025 · The redistribution of food waste as an anti-poverty measure

Meeting with Eric Sargiacomo (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Mar 2025 · CAP Pillar II

Meeting with Oliver Schenk (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Jan 2025 · Priorities for the next legislative term

Meeting with Eric Sargiacomo (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Dec 2024 · Précarité alimentaire

Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Nov 2024 · Prevention of Food Waste

Meeting with Wolfgang Burtscher (Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development)

25 Sept 2024 · to intoduce the new president of FEBA

Response to 2014-2020 Ex post evaluation of FEAD

7 May 2024

Over the past 9 years (2014 2022), the Food Banks in Europe, represented by FEBA, distributed a total of 1,321,000 tonnes of FEAD products. Thus, an average amount of 146,777 tonnes of FEAD products were handled by involved FEBA Members annually. In 2022, almost 90% considered FEAD and REACT-EU assistance (food and non-food) an important pillar of the redistributed product composition since these shelf-stable items reliably complement the recovered surplus products. Thereby, Food Banks can assist the most deprived with a large variety of goods and better cater to their needs. Since 2019, FEBA continuously assessed the Funds implementation, the following points summarise key results of the published reports (see attachments): Effectiveness: FEBA Members on average were very satisfied with the products nutritional value, quality, quantity, variety, and provision frequency. Relevance: Although the core mission of FEBA Members consists of preventing food waste and reducing food insecurity through the recovery and redistribution of nutritious, safe surplus food, FEAD has had a decisive impact on the ability of Food Banks to provide products to affiliated charitable organisations. In 2019, for 60% of involved FEBA Members, its absence would mean a reduction of the activity between 25-50%, and for 30% a decrease of 10-25%. Throughout the programming period, the economic reimbursement received by involved Partner Organisations to cover operating and administrative costs was perceived as an important, albeit in some cases insufficient, element. By carrying out FEAD-funded accompanying measures, such as cooking classes, educational workshops, or counselling, FEBA Members fostered social inclusion of the final beneficiaries and received valuable information on the profiles of the target groups, thus being able to better respond to their needs. Flexibility: FEBA Members underscore the flexibility of the Fund in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has thrown many people into food insecurity overnight and posed enormous challenges to the operations of Food Banks who redistributed +12% of food in comparison with 2019 levels. Moreover, FEBA Members on average declared a 6% increase in the number of charities supported and a plus of 34.7% in final beneficiaries. The flexibility to allocate additional resources and use the Fund e.g. for purchasing PPE and covering costs for capacity building, introduced by the CRII+ and REACT-EU amendments facilitated Food Banks' activities, thus contributing to alleviating the hardship experienced by the most deprived and further supporting new groups of end beneficiaries, such as students or single parents. When the cost-of-living crisis hit in 2022, FEBA Members evaluated the Fund as significant or very significant to effectively respond to the elevated demand for food. Challenges: The reports also highlight several challenges encountered, such as insufficient economic resources for administrative, transport, and storage costs borne by the FEBA Members, storage or logistic issues, the lack of collaboration with Managing Authorities, the lack of collaboration with other Partner Organisations, difficulties to collect data, and occasional quality issues with FEAD food. In times when a nutritious meal becomes increasingly unaffordable, the activities of Food Banks are rendered all the more important. FEBA Members who benefitted from the FEAD and/or REACT-EU throughout the programming period have been key players in pursuing the Fund's goals to assist the most deprived and contribute to social inclusion. While they continue on this path under the ESF+, the constant collaboration between Managing Authorities and Partner Organisations is crucial for efficient and effective implementation.
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Meeting with Roberto Berutti (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski) and EuroCommerce and

12 Apr 2024 · Meeting to present the research on food waste management

Response to ESF+ mid-term evaluation

12 Feb 2024

The position of the European Food Banks Federation focuses on support to the most deprived through food and/ or basic material assistance (Article 4.1.(m) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), as well as through social integration measures (Article 4.1.(l) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1057). More specifically looking at Member States allocation of at least 3% of their ESF+ resources to the specific objective m) or, in duly justified cases, to objective l). Challenges Three main challenges could be observed across the network of Food Banks when it comes to the transition to and implementation of the ESF+: 1. Delay of tenders: Various Food Banks encountered cancellations, delays, and other problems with tenders. Such problems result in additional pressure on the Food Banks as they cannot deliver enough food to the charities. Food Banks in many countries observe a decrease in the quantity of food yet an increase in people in need. 2. Uncertainties of vouchers: Food Banks observed delays and complications in the implementation of the electronic voucher systems which lead to more uncertainty. Negative effects arising from this are that on the one hand, affected people in need (end-beneficiaries) rely even more on the help from charities and Food Banks if the voucher amount is insufficient, yet Food Banks lack staple food and non-food items previously received under FEAD due to the implementation of vouchers a gap that potentially can have negative impacts on the wellbeing of those in need. More data and information through targeted surveys or consultations on the vouchers might be useful to shed more light on the current situation. 3. Accompanying Measures: Different Food Banks observed unclear instructions and guidelines as to what qualifies as accompanying measures and how these need to be carried out. In 2022, 9 FEBA Members located in CZ, ES, FR, IE, IT, LT, LU, PL, and PT received and redistributed 143,888.54 tonnes of food products financed through the FEAD and 3 FEBA Members based in BE, EE, and FR managed the provision of 9,276.06 tonnes of food and non-food items through REACT-EU to people in need. 9 FEBA Members received an economic reimbursement for operating and administrative costs (CZ, FR, IE, IT, LT, PL, and PT through the FEAD and BE and EE through REACT-EU). The transition to the ESF+, therefore, concerns the Food Banks belonging to the FEBA network in the above-mentioned countries, albeit to a different extent.
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Response to Revised marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, bananas, nuts, dried fruit and pulses

19 May 2023

As European Food Banks Federation, we believe that introducing the possibility to sell directly and locally some of the so-called ugly produce is a positive step towards reducing food waste but does not go far enough. We think it would also be relevant to explicitly introduce the possibility to donate ugly produce if the producer, wholesaler or retailer is not able to sell these directly to the consumers. If it is possible to sell these products, which are thus recognised as entirely safe for consumption, their donation for food redistribution should also be fostered. Allowing more food to be recovered by Food Banks and similar food redistribution organisations has the advantage of preventing food waste with positive spillover effects on the environment and on the community. In addition to that, it means that the particular beauty standards for fruit and vegetables must be adapted to the changing environment, not just to reduce food waste and protect the environment, but also in order to adapt to climate change and establish a more resourceful, sustainable, and resilient food system. Food Banks all over the continent express their need for an increased food supply in face of the cost-of-living crisis affecting millions of Europeans. This is not only true for Food Banks, but also for thousands of charities struggling to fulfil their mission.
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Meeting with Christoph Nerlich (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and Les Restaurants du Cœur and Croix Rouge Française

24 Apr 2023 · Fead and support to most deprived

Response to Food waste reduction targets

29 Oct 2021

In attachment the contribution of the European Food Banks Federation on Food waste – reduction targets.
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Response to Contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food security

13 Jan 2021

The European Food Banks Federation, representing 430 food banks in 29 European countries which are committed to prevent food waste and reduce food insecurity, welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the roadmap consultation “contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food security in the EU”. In attachment our contribution to the consultation.
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Response to European Child Guarantee

7 Oct 2020

The Political Guidelines of President Ursula von der Leyen announced the adoption of a Child Guarantee to help ensuring that every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the “most basic of rights like health care and education” and also nutrition. In 2018 in the European Union 33 million people were not able to afford a quality meal every second day (Eurostat, 2018). The daily activity of Food Banks belonging to the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) contributes to food insecurity reduction through food waste prevention. Indeed, Food Banks recover and collect safe and good food from the food supply chain that otherwise would become food waste. The food is then sorted, stocked and redistributed to a network of affiliated charitable organizations – such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, communities, etc. – that help people in need. In 2019 FEBA network redistributed 768,000 tons of food to 45,283 charities assisting 9.5 million deprived people in Europe. The COVID-19 has brought not only grief and suffering but also a new food emergency were children are hit hard. In a survey conducted among European Food Banks of the FEBA network in September 2020, European Food Banks are recording an increased food demand of around 30%. Furthermore, most of the respondents declared that their affiliated charities are experiencing a sharp increase in the number of final beneficiaries. The social and economic consequences are emerging, and these results can be clear warning signals. There is a new kind of poverty: almost 90% of the respondents declared that these new poor are people who have lost the job due to the COVID-19, more than 60% declared that they are families with children who relied mainly on school meals and elderly people living alone. As underlined by the crisis generated by COVID-19, children in need are more likely to suffer from undernutrition, micronutrient-related malnutrition and overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. The proportion of children living in households lacking one meal with meat, chicken, or fish (or vegetarian equivalent) at least once a day is 21.4% in Hungary and 40% in Bulgaria. In this context, the European Food Banks Federation welcomes the European Child Guarantee to foster a policy framework at EU level, as well as a set of service areas to which Member States should provide or strengthen the access for children in need. Food redistribution, which is the best destination when surplus food occurs since it ensures the highest value use of edible food resources, is proven to be the most effective approach not only to contribute to food insecurity and manage surplus food but especially for preventing food losses and waste at source and shifting from a linear to a circular economy. Not only does the activity of Food Banks belonging to the European Food Banks Federation address the immediate challenge of providing food and promoting food security, it provides huge benefits to wider society, the environment, the economy, and food chain resilience. Food redistribution is good for people and the planet, it is aligned with many EU policies such as the Circular Economy Package and the Farm to Fork Strategy. It provides a multitude of support to individuals by not just providing food assistance but providing community-based food programs through local charities. Through the collaboration with charities, it accesses a wide network of people who are often hidden such as children. It introduces more food into the food chain, increasing food chain resilience during times of shocks and crises. The European Food Banks Federations is willing to give its strong and active contribution to collaborate with the European Commission and all the organizations and stakeholders involved to better face this challenge in the upcoming years to support the younger generations.
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Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

16 Mar 2020

European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) consultation in the file attached.
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Response to A new Circular Economy Action Plan

20 Jan 2020

In attachment.
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Meeting with Marco Valletta (Cabinet of Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis)

11 Jan 2019 · Food bank

Meeting with Xavier Prats Monné (Director-General Health and Food Safety)

29 Jun 2017 · Discussion on Food waste

Meeting with Michel Servoz (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

26 Jan 2015 · Prochaines assises sur le thème des Banques Alimentaires et l’inclusion sociale