Under its #FestivalCares programme, the mall launched a CSR campaign to raise awareness on the impact of food wastage and loss globally, encouraging responsible food consumption for a sustainable future

Doha, Qatar – 28 September 2022: Doha Festival City, Qatar's one and only choice for shopping, dining, and entertainment, announced the launch of its CSR campaign to commemorate the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. With 83 participating food-retail outlets, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the detrimental effects of food waste and loss, as well as introduce best practices to reduce food loss and waste.

The awareness campaign features the participation of 83 food-serving outlets including 49 restaurants, 24 coffee shops, 8 specialty foods outlets, Monoprix Hypermarket, and Vox Cinema. Participating partners shared slogans and awareness messages across their social media and online channels to mark the occasion, leveraging the campaign’s #savedontwaste and #festivalcares hashtags to spread the message and maximise awareness. The outlets also posted tent cards at their counters to highlight the campaign’s message.

Launched by the UN, The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is an opportunity to call to action both the public and the private sector to take action to reduce food loss and waste towards restoring and building a resilient food system. Food Waste reduction is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and Qatar is one of the countries that pledged to reduce its food waste. Food waste makes up around 60% of the urban solid waste in Qatar and is considered one of the most pressing environmental problems as it ends up occupying significant space in already overwhelmed landfills. 

Commenting on the initiative’s launch, Robert Hall, Doha Festival City’s General Manager, said: “We launched this campaign to spread awareness of the importance of limiting food loss and waste to help keep more food in circulation for the benefit of all. Food waste is a problem that can be easily prevented through responsible food consumption and retail practices. As a mall hosting several food retailers and outlets, we can certainly be part of the solution. One way is through raising awareness on food waste and its consequences on society, the environment, and the global food chain. We can also contribute to the cause through encouraging our food retailers and outlets to adopt best practices that reduce food loss and waste.”

As part of its robust CSR programme and its #FestivalCares initiatives, Doha Festival City is committed to empowering the community in Qatar through promoting awareness on environmental, health, and humanitarian topics. Earlier this year, the Mall celebrated World Food Safety Day 2022 in collaboration with Al Daayen Municipality and Monoprix through interactive awareness activities to educate mall visitors on ways to prevent foodborne illnesses and to shed light on the importance of ensuring that food they consume is safe.

In line with the preventative measures set out by the State of Qatar to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and to ensure a safe shopping environment for all, Doha Festival City commits itself to continuous necessary health and safety measures throughout the mall. This includes a thorough mall disinfection treatment on a weekly basis, robust cleaning, and sanitization operations during mall trading hours, 127 hand sanitizing stations installed in the areas that have commonly touched surfaces. 

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