The first ROSETTA Community of Practice (CoP) meeting took place online on 5th February 2025, bringing together stakeholders from across the food sector to discuss key challenges, share insights and explore solutions related to food waste and marketing standards.
The meeting opened with a presentation by Q-PLAN, offering an overview of the ROSETTA project’s objectives, activities and progress. This introduction set the stage for in-depth discussions on how marketing standards impact food waste and what measures can be taken to address these challenges.
A key focus of the event was the role of marketing standards in shaping food waste. UNIVIE presented findings on public marketing standards, explaining how European and international regulations influence food production, trade, and food loss. The presentation examined the interactions between different regulatory frameworks and their effect on supply chains. In parallel, WR introduced insights on private marketing standards, exploring how industry-driven specifications contribute to food waste by enforcing cosmetic and quality requirements that can lead to the rejection of edible products.
The discussion moved from regulation to practice with a presentation from Freshis, which shared real-world insights on food waste in online retail. The session outlined the company’s approach to tracking and reducing waste, linking measurable progress to specific interventions and business adaptations.
Collaboration between projects was another key highlight of the event. BREADCRUMB, ROSETTA’s sister project, presented its work on food marketing standards and food waste reduction strategies. The discussion reinforced the value of knowledge exchange and alignment between EU-funded initiatives working toward the same goals.
The meeting concluded with a Q&A and open discussion, where participants addressed the complexities of aligning public and private standards, identified barriers to more flexible frameworks, and exchanged views on opportunities to reduce food waste across different parts of the supply chain.
The Community of Practice will continue to facilitate knowledge sharing and stakeholder engagement, supporting the Roots to Resilience initiative, which spotlights perspectives from industry players working toward sustainable food systems. Moving forward, the CoP will play a vital role in shaping practical solutions and fostering collaboration to tackle food waste effectively.
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