In a bid to reduce food waste and incite Parisians to adopt more eco-friendly habits in restaurants, Elior Group, in conjunction with the Paris municipal authorities and the Synhorcat, have launched the first “Parisian doggy bag”. In France, where many people are not that familiar with the doggy-bag concept, which is popular in English-speaking countries, Elior aims to promote this new consumer practice in restaurants and enable clients to take their leftovers home. By supporting this eco-initiative, the Group has strengthened its commitment, made in 2010, to the fight against food-waste.

Every year in France, over 10 million tonnes of foodstuffs are thrown out or wasted; 15% of this in the restaurant business. In the Paris region, around 60%[1] of the population claim that they do not finish their meals in restaurants and 75% would be willing to ask for a doggy-bag. Judging by these figures, it is clear that restaurants have a major role to play in the combat against food-waste.

As a signatory of the French National Pact Against Food-Waste, Elior actively participates in implementing best-practices for its diners and throughout the entire value chain. Although the “doggy-bag” is not yet become a feature of the French way of life, the Elior Group is helping to promote a change in mentality by setting the doggy-bag trend, which is already big in English-speaking countries.

During the month of December, Elior will be piloting an operation in France, involving the distribution of 8,000 “antigaspi” (doggy-bag) boxes in a hundred or so Parisian restaurants, including those belonging to the Elior group (le Ciel de Paris as well as those in the Louvre, the Orsay museum and the Quai de Branly museum). The box is designed to contain different types of foodstuffs (drinks, soups, etc.) and will be distributed regularly to Elior’s restaurants throughout France.

The “antigaspi” box is a new initiative that is perfectly in line with the Group’s anti food-waste strategy. As such, Elior’s commitment is apparent at each stage of the value chain:

  • From the outset, the Elior Group has always maintained its conviction that « the better the food is, the less gets wasted”. As such, Elior invites diners in French retirement homes (EHPAD) and school canteens to try out its potential recipes. Meals receiving a satisfaction rating of less than 70% are discarded. In company cafeterias, Elior carries out food-testing surveys to assess diners’ opinions and adapts its offer accordingly.
  • On a day-to-day basis, the Elior Group strives to limit its stocks, serve correctly-measured food portions and train its staff in eco-friendly practices.
  • At the end of the value chain, Elior distributes its unsold foodstuffs via its partnership with La Tablée des Chefs[2] and supports innovative food-waste recovery initiatives, such as recycling used cooking oil into biofuels and weighing bio-waste in its restaurants. To promote best nutritional practices, Elior also raises customer awareness via recipe ideas for leftovers and vegetable peelings (soups, French toast), and organises anti-food waste campaigns in schools (600,000 children involved in training programmes since 2010).

[1] 2014 Survey conducted by the Rhône-Alpes region : 2 752 respondents, of which 14% in the Paris region

[2] La Tablée des Chefs: a French organisation dedicated to collect ing and distributing (to local charity associations) unsold food from central kitchens, trade-fair and events venus  where Elior  manages the catering.