Coronavirus: pandemic has sharpened focus on reducing food waste, says UAE minister

Minister of State for Food Security says the UAE wastes an average of 197kg per person each year

Staff at the Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Waterfront prepare food ahead of iftar. Antonie Robertson / The National

Lavish buffets in huge tents are not on the menu this year in hotels in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National

Buffet stations will be less common during Ramadan this year according to hoteliers. Courtesy Hilton

A chef prepares an iftar buffet in Dubai. Getty

One of the few bright spots of the pandemic is it has highlighted the issue of food waste, a UAE Cabinet minister said.

For the second year running, iftar and suhoor buffets have been cancelled by authorities to prevent large gatherings.

UAE hoteliers said this week the Covid-19 safety restrictions would put greater focus on delivering "quality over quantity" during Ramadan.

Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, told The National the restrictions would sharpen the focus on the amount of food being wasted.

With Ramadan a time for reflection and contemplation, we should all use this opportunity to think about the value of food

“The seemingly never-ending pandemic is having a positive outcome in that it is shining a spotlight on the incredible amount of food we throw away,” Ms Al Mheiri said.

“With iftar buffets being curtailed this year, the UAE is successfully reducing the amount of food it throws away during Ramadan.”

The minister said the UAE wastes an average of 197kg per person each year, with Ramadan iftars being a major contributory factor.

“Ramadan iftars contribute significantly to this waste; their buffet nature leaving vast quantities of food unconsumed at the end of each evening,” she said.

Has Covid-19 changed habits?

Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, said the UAE wasted an average of 197kg per person each year with Ramadan iftars playing a large role in reaching that figure

Ms Al Mheiri said the general public's awareness of food waste was evolving, with people becoming more mindful of the waste they are producing.

“The pandemic has also changed attitudes towards food waste more generally, with people becoming more responsible in their shopping and consumption habits,” she said.

“Consumer research has found that UAE households have been increasingly buying only what they need and saving what they don’t finish.

“A rise in online grocery shopping has been a significant contributor to this trend, with studies finding that customers are using this medium to shop more conservatively.”

Ms Al Mheiri said it was important that people should not return to old habits.

"The challenge is to keep this momentum going, as there is also some evidence that consumers are starting to slip back into pre-pandemic wasteful habits, as lockdown restrictions start to ease.

“With Ramadan a time for reflection and contemplation, we should all use this opportunity to think about the value of food, and to make a personal concerted effort to reduce the amount of food we throw away.”

Ms Al Mheiri estimated that if only one-quarter of the food that is typically wasted was saved it could feed about 870 million people worldwide.

The staggering numbers around global food waste

Rainbow burger from Choices by MT, a kiosk in Global Village. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National

Passion fruit dynamite shrimp at Passion Taste, available only in Global Village

Passion fruit chicken tikka wrap at Passion Taste

Mikail Alp roasts chestnuts at Gobal Village

Traditional kokorec at Turkish Kokorec & Seafood in Global Village

The Floating Market offers Asian food kiosks

Mala noodles at the BKK Station in the Floating Market at Global Village

Nina Samipak, manager of BKK Station, says the Thai spicy sauce can be toned down

Spicy and garlic butter mussels from Zaab Zaab at the Floating Market

Cevapi or Bosnian kebabs are one of the most popular dishes at Global Village

Visitors can find authentic Emirati dishes at Traditional Kitchen

Luqaimat dumplings at Traditional Kitchen

Traditional Emirati regag at Global Village

Custard in liquid form at Custaphoria in Global Village

An Oreo and custard-filled cake at Custaphoria

The World Food Programme said up to one-third of the food produced globally is either wasted or lost with an equivalent financial value of $1.3 trillion each year.

Mageed Yahia, director of the programme's UAE office, said to tackle waste people must first recognise the challenges in producing food in the first place.

“People need to understand how food is produced. For many of us it’s a simple case of going to the supermarket to choose what we want,” he said.

“That’s not the whole story though. It’s actually quite a complex process from growing the food to taking into account factors like irrigation, distribution, transport and safety.

“A lot of the time small farmers can’t sell everything they produce and don’t have the storage to hold on to the food until they can, and a lot of it is lost.”

He said this was particularly a problem in West Asia and North Africa where up to 250kg of food is wasted per person each year.

Ramadan in the UAE - in pictures

People visit the Ramadan Reflection room at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. The room is filled with hanging lamps and mirrors. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Men attend Friday prayers during the second Friday of Ramadan in Dubai. EPA

Ramadan decoration at The Dubai Mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A Sri Lankan community group distributes 300 meals to workers at the Fakhruddin Camp in Sonapur, Dubai, with the help of Al Watani volunteers and the CDA. Antonie Robertson / The National

Masjid Rawda Al Abrar is seen with the Burj Khalifa in the distance just before sunset in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National.

The cannon firing in front of Qasr Al Hosn, in Abu Dhabi, marks the end of day's fasting. Victor Besa/The National

Customers buy delicacies hours before breaking their Ramadan fast in Dubai. Getty Images

An abra driver prepares an Iftar meal, in Dubai. Getty Images

Ramadan decorations at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A minaret stands among the skyscrapers in Barsha Heights, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Flowers outside a mosque in Jumeirah, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The crescent moon appears above the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque at Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Visitors look at a display of Ramadan lanterns in the main lobby of Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Ramadan decorations at Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Nancy Safy, an artist in Dubai and founder of To Infinity & Beyond, a business known for hand-painted art, gives a demonstration during iftar at Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf. Pawan Singh / The National

Men pray at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai during Ramadan, a month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint. Getty

People visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah on the second day of Ramadan, the month of fasting. AFP

A man prays at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai as Muslims across the world observe Ramadan. Getty

A view of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, on the first evening of Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National

A view of the Omar Ali bin Haider Mosque in Deira, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

The interior of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah. AFP

Worshippers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai as the faithful mark Ramadan, a month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint. Getty

A worshipper at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Getty Images

Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah is lit up on the second day of Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ramadan decorations on City Walk in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ramadan cannon at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah signals the end of fasting. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Masjid Bani Hashim in Dubai after sunrise on the third day of Ramadan. The mosque was built as a replica of Palestine’s Dome of the Rock. Victor Besa / The National