SINGLE MARKET PROGRAMME (SMP) – EU support to Stakeholders to improve measurement of food waste and help implement food waste prevention in their operations and organisation – 2026

Objectives

• To support the implementation of effective food waste prevention initiatives
• To process, reprocess and valorise side streams from food production or surpluses into new products, using new, innovative processing or repackaging methods, digital tools, etc.
• To develop solutions that can support consumers in preventing food waste in their homes, e.g. extending shelf life, packaging sizes, labelling practices etc.

Priorities

• Priority 1: assisting EU stakeholders in implementing effective food waste prevention initiatives within their operations and organisations, or throughout the food supply chain, including consumer-targeted actions
• Priority 2: fostering collaboration across different sectors in the food supply chain, including in particular producers, manufactures/processors, wholesalers, retailers and innovators to accelerate the uptake of food waste prevention and valorisation practices
• Priority 3: supporting food banks and other redistribution organisations in the reprocessing and/or valorisation of surplus foods recovered from commercial food business operators, as well as supporting their redistribution and storage practises

Eligibility

• Be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
• Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register before submitting the proposal.
• Both mono-beneficiaries and consortium can apply.
• A consortium composed of at least 1 SME representative must be constituted.

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action: between 18 and 24 months

Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.

• Contact: HADEA-FOOD-GRANTS@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• Executive Agency website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 4 million euros
• Amount of the grant: around 300.000 euros

The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.

• Funding rate: up to 50% of the total eligible costs