The Republic of Moldova throws away enough food each year to feed more than one million people who cannot afford adequate nutrition, and food waste rises sharply during the winter holidays. Economist Veaceslav Ionita, an expert in economic policies at IDIS Viitorul, made the statements during the program Economic Analyses with Veaceslav Ionita.
According to his estimates, a holiday meal for a family in Moldova will cost around 7,000 lei this year, BANI.MD reports. As a result, households spend between 40 percent and 60 percent of a monthly net salary, which in 2025 exceeds 14,000 lei. Because the holiday period lasts longer than usual, total expenses often surpass monthly incomes, placing significant pressure on family budgets.
Ionita explained that the holiday season in Moldova lasts about 21 days, from December 24 to January 14, which is twice the European average. During this period, Moldovans will spend at least 600 million lei on food that eventually ends up in the trash.
Fear of an empty table pushes families to cook up to 150 percent more food than necessary. Ionita said that holidays, instead of bringing joy, often turn into major financial stress for households.
Data show that food consumption during the holidays rises by more than 30 percent compared to the annual average, driven by more meals, larger portions, and excessive consumption. At the same time, social conditions remain difficult. About 29 percent of citizens lack access to a minimum food basket, 23 percent live below the food security threshold, 27 percent cannot afford a healthy diet, and only 21 percent say they eat properly.
Despite a nearly 90 percent increase in food prices over the past five years, Moldova wastes around 180,000 tons of food annually. This volume equals a freight train about 40 kilometers long, with roughly 3,000 wagons. Households generate 45 percent of this waste, followed by production with 20 percent, processing with 21 percent, and the commercial sector with 14 percent.
Ionita also highlighted the heavy weight of food expenses in household budgets. In developed countries, food accounts for 6 to 10 percent of expenses, while in less developed countries it reaches about 20 percent. In Moldova, the share stands at 42 percent.
Ionita stressed that for Moldovans, food represents not only a necessity but also a luxury.
The total value of wasted and lost food reached 18.2 billion lei in 2024 and is expected to rise to 19.8 billion lei in 2025 and 21.3 billion lei in 2026. Food purchased and discarded by households alone amounted to 8.2 billion lei in 2024, with projections of 8.9 billion lei in 2025 and 9.6 billion lei in 2026.
As a result, families spend more money on food that goes to waste than on health care, education, or recreation. The problem also affects public services, as garbage collection increases by about 30 percent during the holiday period.
Ionita emphasized that the issue does not involve abandoning traditions but reducing excess consumption.
Celebrating holidays in both the new and old styles does not justify cooking and buying twice as much food or eating 40 percent more, he concluded, adding that in a poor country like Moldova, nearly one billion lei will end up in the trash during the holidays.