The plan outlines key action areas including citizen awareness, loss prevention, surplus utilization, knowledge generation, and collaboration among administrations, businesses, and social entities in the agri-food sector.
The campaign ‘Aprofitem els aliments’ (Let's Use Food) is a primary awareness initiative within this strategic framework. It aligns with the objectives of the 2024-2028 Food Strategy for Catalonia, aiming to foster a more sustainable, resilient food model based on circular economy principles. The initiative involves collaborations with organizations such as the Fundació Espigoladors, the Fundació Banc dels Aliments de Catalunya (Catalonia Food Bank Foundation), and the Plataforma Aprofitem els Aliments (PAA).
The campaign focuses on three main pillars. The first is ‘Àpats Gastrorecup’ (Gastrorecup Meals), now in its fifth edition with over 100 participating restaurants across Catalonia. This initiative promotes food recovery gastronomy through menus made from recovered food that, despite maintaining quality and safety, has been excluded from commercial circuits due to aesthetic reasons or overproduction. Menus are revealed at the start of the meal, showcasing culinary creativity with available ingredients. Spearheaded by chef Ada Parellada and the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, it aims to engage the entire food chain and champion recovery cooking.
A new addition is the Gastrorecup Solidari (Solidarity Gastrorecup) on October 26th at the Santa Anna Hospital de Campanya in Barcelona, preparing a meal with recovered produce for vulnerable individuals, thereby strengthening the campaign's social dimension.
The second pillar is the ‘Gran Dinar d’Aprofitament Alimentari’ (Great Food Recovery Lunch), scheduled for October 17th in Cervera's Plaça Major. Organized by the Department of Agriculture, the PAA, and in collaboration with the Paeria de Cervera and the Consell Comarcal de la Segarra, it will offer a free meal using recovered food, alongside recreational and cultural activities during the Region's Day. The goal is to encourage reflection on food waste and highlight the work of volunteers and organizations.
Finally, the ‘6a Marató d’Espigolades’ (6th Gleaning Marathon) will take place on October 18th simultaneously in various locations. Organized by the Fundació Espigoladors and the Department of Agriculture, it calls for volunteers to directly collect fruits and vegetables from fields that are fit for consumption but could not be commercialized. Recovered food will be donated to social entities, and the event aims to connect citizens with the primary sector and raise awareness about the causes of on-farm food loss.
The 2025 edition of the ‘Aprofitem els aliments’ campaign successfully recovered 20,668.50 kg of food and distributed 5,221 meals. Environmentally, it resulted in an estimated saving of 39,868 kg of CO₂, 1,492,516 liters of water, and 47,879 euros in resources.
