Montreal, October 16, 2015 - For the fifteenth consecutive year, Action RE-buts is organizing the Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets (Quebec waste reduction week) that will take place from October 17th to 25th. This year's campaign focuses on combatting food waste. Since sustainable development is at the top of its list of priorities, IGA is proud to support the SQRD in spreading the word.
An issue that affects everyone
According to a recent survey carried out for IGA, 81% of Quebecers consider the reduction of food waste to be important. Close to a third of those surveyed believe that food waste occurs mainly in restaurants, while 22% believe it's a problem at home. The truth, however, is a bit different. According to data from the Food Waste in Canada study carried out by the Value Chain Management Centre, 47% of wasted food is thrown out at home. And even though they don't consider themselves the main culprits, people surveyed considered reducing food waste to be a priority, with 55% of them rating it as a high priority right behind recycling which topped the list at 63%.
La Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets invites all Quebecers to take part in one of the many activities being offered between October 17th and 25th, including conferences, concerts, and workshops that encourage participants to take concrete steps toward reducing food waste.
A Disco Soup of odd looking fruits and vegetables!
The general public is invited to the campaign launch on Saturday October 17th at Montreal's Jean-Talon Market; the event will include a Disco Soup where people come together and use unsold fruit and vegetables to prepare delicious soups and smoothies. IGA has provided close to 200 kg of odd looking fruits and vegetables – Quebec products that look a bit less than perfect, but taste every bit as good! The event will include lots of activities and animation to teach people more about food waste and how each one can help to reduce it.
Large-scale projects for sustainable solutions
Since the creation of Fonds Éco IGA in June 2008 in partnership with Le Jour de la Terre Québec, IGA's 285 grocers have been making concrete gestures to benefit the environment. This year they are investing their eighth $1 million to finance and bring new community projects to life.
"We're working hard to find sustainable solutions, and our IGA grocers are on the front line," explains Marie-Noëlle Cano, director of communications and sustainable development at Sobeys Québec. “Examples of our efforts include our in-store waste management program that involves composting, in-store food transformation for prepared foods, and charitable donations. In addition, we launched our À vos frigos! workshops at back-to-school time aimed at providing tips and advice to consumers for optimizing what they have in their fridge!" This wide-scale project, in collaboration with Le Jour de la Terre and La Tablée des Chefs, began in September 2015 and is offering 96 workshops that Quebecers throughout the province can register to attend.
IGA is inviting all Quebecers, both citizens and organizations, to step up and share their efforts to combat food waste from October 17th to 25th – and throughout the year as well!
About IGA
IGA is the largest group of independent grocers in Canada and its presence in Quebec dates to 1953. IGA retailers are constantly seeking new ways to serve their customers better. The IGA banner includes close to 300 IGA, IGA extra, IGA express, and IGA mini stores. IGA is the only group of food retailers that offers customers the opportunity to accumulate AIR MILES® reward miles.
About Action RE-buts
Action RE-buts is a citizen's coalition organized as a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to encourage the elaboration and implementation of projects that promote ecological, economic, local, and democratic waste management using the 3-R approach (reduce, reuse and recycle) by focusing on reduction at the source.
For information:
Laurie Fossat
Communications Advisor
Sobeys Québec
Tel.: 514-324-1010, ext. 2158
laurie.fossat@sobeys.com