Enough with the dictatorship of aesthetics in food and enough with waste. With the pandemic, the relationship of citizens with food has changed: sensitivity against its waste has increased, in a time that has also seen queues at public canteens increase.
He defines himself as a man "who loves to tell stories with data": Manuel Bruscas, Spanish activist against food waste, he has been working in the digital sector for over twenty years, specializing precisely in data analysis. As an activist he wrote the book "Los tomates de verdad son feos" (Real tomatoes are ugly), he is one of the founders of the "Food for Thought" project, which analyzes trends in the world of food, and has a blog on the Spanish edition of the Huffington Post.
How did you approach activism against food waste? What interested you and continue to interest you?
«It all started in 2010: I was with my wife tidying up the kitchen furniture and we realized that we had a lot of out-of-date food, which we had to throw away. At that moment something moved inside me and I started looking for information on food waste. I discovered the sad reality: about a third of the food we produce on Planet Earth ends up wasted. And this happens while millions of people go hungry. This brutal paradox has shaken me inside and continues to push me to ask for a more humane and just food model: today we produce enough food to prevent someone from starving. And in the context of this nonsense, it continues to surprise me the amount of fruit and vegetables that are wasted because it is ugly. It is what I call the dictatorship of aesthetics. I came to the conclusion that we do not tolerate wrinkles and imperfections (and I am not referring only to food) ».
What is the behavior of the Spaniards on food waste? Are there any policies to raise awareness on the subject?
«In Spain there is an ever increasing awareness. First, the media have given more visibility to food waste. Second, associations, cooperatives and consumer groups are constantly emerging that aim to end waste (both of food and other products). Third, companies whose goal is to combat food waste are being consolidated. However, this "positive dynamic" was not accompanied by the Spanish government. In fact, the awareness campaigns have been very isolated and no law has been approved in this regard, as has been done in countries such as France and Italy. It is a pity because very powerful legislative measures have been passed in regions like Catalonia, thanks to the consensus of all political groups, and therefore it should not be difficult to do so at national level as well. At the end of 2020, louis planes, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has expressed the intention to bring to the Council of Ministers a bill on food waste "during the first quarter of 2021". Unfortunately we are already in the second quarter and nothing has happened: we are without law, and what is worse, without a participatory process with all the players in the food chain ».
Has the pandemic changed the focus on food and food waste?
“Yes, the pandemic has changed our behavior and our eating habits. In general terms, I would like to highlight these four trends: 1) We have realized that food is a source of health and well-being; 2) New consumer lines were the protagonists (more vegetable proteins, less meat; more local products, etc.); 3) Digital is a fundamental part of our relationship with food (online shopping, home delivery, #foodporn on Instagram, etc.); 4) We are more aware of the problem of food waste and the importance of the environmental impact of our current (unsustainable) food model.
And I would add that in the first months of the pandemic, the forced closure of restaurants, hotels and canteens meant that many farmers no longer had their regular buyers, which resulted in large losses. Similarly, and with the closure of the borders, it became clear that there were no "Spanish" workers willing to work to collect fruit and vegetables. This was widely reported in the media. Similarly, the extremely tough economic situation has made it clear to many families that if they don't throw away their food they can save money (300-400 euros per year). And of course the hunger queues. In Spain, before the pandemic, there were already nearly 800 people in a situation of serious food insecurity. In recent months the situation has worsened and queues in the canteens have unfortunately been very frequent ».
A few years ago you wrote a book, The truthful tomates are feos, after the pandemic you presented the Food for Thoughts project. Tell us about it?
«The truthful tomates are feos arises from the need to talk about food waste in a "different" way: with data, but also with stories and poems. Sometimes the numbers are too cold to reach people's hearts and let them see the absurdities of food waste. It was a delightfully "ugly" project in the company of Alejandra Zuniga, a good friend, who is a wonderful illustrator.
The "Food For Thought" project was born with one goal: to reflect on the world of food. What are the big trends? What impact does technology have on the way we relate to food? Answering these questions is not easy. It requires data, analysis, but also a lot of heart. Because food is something of culture, of identity. And that is why it requires an artisanal analysis. Marc Colomes and I (the founders of Food For Thought) want to help all companies and organizations in the food sector to cook the future on a low flame ».
The Food Journalism Festival is very attentive to food waste: last year we launched a petition for a law that makes the food bags in the restaurants. Do you think that initiatives or laws at European level would be useful to raise awareness on these issues, which are not only related to food, but also to a more sustainable lifestyle?
“This type of initiative is very positive and necessary: popular pressure makes our leaders react and puts the fight against waste at the forefront. It is very important that pressure is also put in place at European level because the policies approved in Brussels end up being imposed in all Member States of the European Union. There is great room for improvement in the catering sector. In Catalonia, for example, the initiative has existed for some time Remenjammm: promotes the use of food bags in restaurants and awards every year the most innovative restaurants in the fight against food waste ».
