Transforming Surplus into Solidarity: Systems Dynamics Modelling in Support of Food Redistribution

Food loss and waste (FLW) in the EU remains a critical challenge, with 59 million tonnes wasted annually, exacerbating resource inefficiencies and greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of the study is to design a data tool that will allow policymakers and social entrepreneurs to assess the feasibility and funding needs of new initiatives addressing the problem of food surplus through redistribution. Using a Living Lab approach within the Horizon Europe RUSTIK project, we analyse data from Etri, a social cooperative that redistributes food to marginalised peoples. Through system dynamics modelling, we integrate logistics data, survey responses, and expert assessments to quantify the social and environmental benefits of redistribution. The robustness of model parameters was preliminarily confirmed by iterative validation against historical accounting data. Future work focuses on procuring additional data sources to enhance both validation and the model’s applicability for diverse regional contexts.