A Stand Against Waste - Food Rescue Day
Every day, tons of food end up in the trash even though it’s still edible. To send a strong message against this waste, the volunteers at Foodsharing Mainz, in cooperation with the City of Mainz’s Agenda Office, cordially invite all citizens to the “Food Rescue Day” on Saturday, September 26, 2026, as part of the nationwide day of action, in which Mainz is also participating.
The event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Leichhof and offers a varied program for the whole family. The focus of the day is on gaining a hands-on understanding of just how valuable our food is.
- Information booths: Learn about the work of Foodsharing, the enormous scale of food waste, and how each individual can reduce food waste in daily life—from proper storage and consuming food promptly to shopping habits.
- Children’s Activities: An interactive quiz, games, and creative hands-on stations for children centered on the themes of food and sustainability.
- Food exhibition: All the food that has been discarded but is still edible—and that Foodsharing Mainz has rescued within a single day—will be on display. It’s a good idea to bring bags or suitable containers, as the food will be “fairly shared” afterward.
“Every piece of food that’s thrown away is one too many,” explains Dr. Sabine Gresch from the Agenda Office of the City of Mainz. “With our event, we want to show that saving food isn’t just important for the environment—it’s also incredibly fun and can be easily integrated into everyday life.”
Background
Food Rescue Day draws attention to the massive ecological and economic consequences of food waste. “In Germany, approximately 10.8 million metric tons of food waste are disposed of annually along the entire supply chain. Broken down to a single day, that’s an estimated 30,000 metric tons of food waste daily—a large portion of which comes from private households,” explains Eva Benz, Foodsharing ambassador in Mainz since 2021. “That’s one truckload of food per minute.” Foodsharing is actively working on the ground to raise awareness and highlight concrete alternatives.
Mainz: A Foodsharing City Since 2022—Eight Fairteiler Cabinets
Mainz has been a Foodsharing City since 2022: In addition to the eight Fairteiler cabinets in the city’s neighborhoods, a total of 600 active participants in Mainz, and about 100 ongoing partnerships with retailers and restaurants, there are events and plans for concrete measures. Café Krumm&Schepp is the second Foodsharing café in Germany. Above all, however, Foodsharing Mainz aims to bring about a shift in consumption habits. There’s a lot at stake here: environmental and climate protection, safeguarding natural resources, promoting sustainability, and helping to end world hunger.
Foodsharing hopes this initiative will raise awareness. “We want to change people’s mindset,” says Benz. The rescued food will be distributed to the residents of Mainz at the end of the event. “This way, everyone makes an active contribution to food rescue,” says Sabine Gresch.
Anyone interested is cordially invited to stop by, learn more, and join us in sending a message about treating food with respect.
For more information, visit: https://foodsharing.de/event/52321 (opens in a new tab)
Contact / Inquiries
AGENDA Office,
Office for Urban Research and Sustainable Urban Development,
Dr. Sabine Gresch
Email: agenda-infostadt.mainzde