EU Food Loss and Waste Prevention Hub

This Challenge, EMPTY PLATES CHALLENGE, aims to mobilize as many restaurants in the region as possible in the fight against food waste. It is proposed twice a year, once in May and in November. Collective catering are invited to weigh their waste (kitchen surplus and leftover plates) for a week. Thus, the week of May 27 to 31, more than 222 restaurants, representing more than 57,000 guests, have challenged their practices and interacted with their guests to reduce their waste as much as possible. 

Throughout the challenge, tools are offered via email and via an internet page, accessible only to registered restaurants. After this week, REGAL Normandie invites each participant to complete and return a spreadsheet to enable regional analysis. Finally, at the start of the next school year, a summary report will be widely distributed, while waiting for the November Challenge!.

Since 2017, 11 challenges have been organized by REGAL Normandie, generally in May and November. A total of 652 collective restaurants participated at least once in the Challenge.

These 7 years of challenges have given us better visibility on waste in collective restaurants and allowed us to raise awareness among a wider audience number, mainly young Normans. Over the course of the challenges, we have mobilized more establishments and restaurants in the fight against waste, pushing them to undertake actions to reduce their waste. The average for the latest Empty Plate Challenge (nov 2023) is 69 g/person/meal (only edible part), which is one of the lowest rates we have recorded so far.