From Swiss supermarket chains to our local bakery – who’s doing what to cut down on the 2.8 million tonnes of food waste?

Each year, Switzerland discards around 2.8 million tonnes of food. This represents not just an economic loss – it’s an environmental and ethical issue that affects us all. From nationwide retail giants like Coop and Migros to local businesses like Early Beck in Saanen, various players are now taking action through smart logistics and creative solutions.

Everyone’s responsibility
The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment defines food waste as edible food that is lost or discarded somewhere along the chain from field to fork. This means everyone is involved – from farmers to supermarkets to us, the consumers.

As recently reported in “20 Minuten”, one restaurant in Germany has even begun charging customers who leave food uneaten – a drastic measure that highlights growing frustration with waste.

What are the supermarkets doing?
Coop has long been active in food waste reduction. Their “Use, Don’t Waste” sticker marks soon-to-expire items sold at discounted prices. Since 2005, Coop has donated unsold but edible products to organisations such as “Schweizer Tafel” and “Tischlein deck dich”, totalling over 34 million meals in 2024 alone.

Excess items from rural branches, including the Coop in Gstaad, are returned to the distribution centre and redistributed to partner charities. In Coop restaurants, surplus fresh ingredients are repurposed into soups, sides, and desserts.

Their goal? Zero Waste. As a signatory to the Federal Food Waste Reduction Pact, Coop claims that 99.8 % of its food is now used, either sold, donated, or processed in-house.

Migros also relies on a combination of predictive ordering systems and human experience. Store teams adapt to local demand, such as anticipating grill-friendly weather at weekends.

Their homepage notes that 98.6 % of Migros products are sold or donated. The remainder is processed into biogas, animal feed, or compost, with just 0.02 % going to landfill.

A local approach
At family-run bakery Early Beck, managing food waste is both tradition and innovation. Owner Eric Oehrli explains how unsold bread from all locations is returned to the main bakery, sorted, and repurposed.

Planning is key: “We adapt our daily production to the season, the weather, and the weekend flow,” says Oehrli. Some products are even baked directly in-store to match demand and cut waste.

What about the pressure to offer fresh bread until closing time? Oehrli is clear:

“Warm bread doesn’t mean fresh. In many supermarkets, it’s defrosted and reheated bread imported from Eastern Europe. It may be warm, but it was baked months ago. We make bread that stays fresh naturally for two to three days.”

Awareness is Growing
Oehrli has noticed a real shift in attitudes – both from staff and customers. “People are more conscious now. Many of our new employees ask smart questions and bring ideas of their own.”

For him, sustainability is local: “Our butter comes straight from L’Etivaz – six tonnes this summer. Our drivers deliver bread and pick up butter on the same trip. It’s efficient, local, and keeps value in the valley.”

Community Fridges: Madame Frigo
Since 2022, the Frauenverein Saanen has maintained public fridges in Gstaad, Saanen, and Schönried.
What’s allowed?
Fruit and veg, Sealed products within their best-before date, Bread
Where to find them?
Gstaad: Kirchgemeindehaus entrance Saanen: Below the stairs at Schmid’s grocery Schönried: Near the school parking, soon to be decommissioned
Who can use them?
Everyone – private households, shops, restaurants, and hotels.

A Shared Responsibility
Fighting food waste takes shared effort. It’s not about guilt. It’s about better habits, local thinking, and small innovations that add up.

And the next time your favourite bread is sold out just before closing? Try something new. It is a small step towards a less wasteful future.

BASED ON AVS | ANITA MOSER