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How Nordic nations are tackling food waste – and how you can too

At a time when sustainability is at the forefront of our decision-making, the Nordic nations are making significant steps in reducing food and packaging waste. From smartphone apps and packaging-free stores, to ways of ensuring you don't buy too many ingredients, here we examine how Sweden and Denmark are taking action – and how you can cut your own waste in 2021.

How Nordic nations are tackling food waste – and how you can too
Photo: Getty Images
One third of all food produced for human consumption globally is wasted each year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. But in Sweden, reducing food-related waste has been on the agenda since the mid-20th century. 
 
Through careful planning and legislative ‘nudges’ in line with a specific set of goals, Sweden has been able to reduce its carbon emissions by around two million tonnes a year. The vast majority of packaging used in the country is either recycled or burned for energy, with organic waste used as fertilizer for farms. 
 
With the rise of smartphones, popular food-sharing apps in Sweden offer a way to find cut-price treats from restaurants, cafes and grocery stores that would otherwise be thrown away. Users have the chance to save money and help reduce the amount of surplus food ending up in the bin.
 
Another popular way to ensure you only buy what you need and will use is meal kits. Delivered to your home weekly, meal kits from HelloFresh include the ingredients for a set number of meals, along with recipes that can be kept for later use.
 
 
Sweden has also long employed a forward-looking approach to plastic bottles and metal drinks cans. Its ‘pant’ bottle and can recycling system has been employed since the early 1980s – and 85% of cans and bottles are reused. The deposit on the bottles and cans – that you get back when you recycle them – is called pant and the process of recycling them in supermarket machines has even become a verb. So, if you live in Sweden but don’t panta yet, perhaps 2021 is the time to start?
 
In Denmark, strategic planning has also made significant strides in eliminating food waste. One specific focus of sustainability policy is primary industries and agriculture.
 
 
Policy dictates that those vegetables, crops and animal products that are unsuitable for market are recycled for biogas, or used in other primary industry production. This has helped Denmark cut food waste to a level well under the global figure of one-third. Bottle and can recycling is at a record high, with 92% of all bottle and cans sold last year being recycled via return machines. 
 
Photo: Getty Images
 
At an individual level, what else can you do in Sweden or Denmark to cut your waste? Fortunately, it’s not the herculean task that it might at appear to be at first – especially in the age of digital technology.
 
One popular strategy that Swedish and Danish communities use to eliminate food waste are food sharing programmes. These allow both companies and individuals to distribute excess food to others via social media communities or smartphone apps. These initiatives also have the benefit of providing low cost food to those who may struggle otherwise, solving two problems in one. 
 
Another significant way in which Swedes and Danes are minimizing their food waste is through packaging-free shops, an increasing phenomenon in larger cities. At these stores, you’re encouraged to bring your own containers in which to take food home.
 
Photo: Getty Images
 
Not only are you buying only what you need, but packaging is almost entirely eliminated – a significant part of the waste problem associated with modern supermarkets.  
 
With HelloFresh’s meal kits, you can also also ensure you have exactly what you need when you come to cook. With only the right amount of food sent out each week, mostly sourced direct from local suppliers, food waste is minimised to a significant extent – and you can also save time and money. 
 
Get discounts for HelloFresh in Sweden (using the code ‘THELOCAL925’) and Denmark (using the code ‘THELOCAL725’)
 
Food packaging is another huge environmental issue, along with food waste. HelloFresh is also working on their packaging in order to minimize the waste created in logistics and distribution. Customers in both Sweden and Denmark will notice that their boxes come with a number of innovations. 
 
The meal kits mix virgin and recycled fibres to survive the rigours of transport, while remaining easily foldable for collection. Inside the box, each of the bags containing ingredients is completely compostable – and therefore suitable for the organic waste collection in those countries. Ice bags for keeping fruit and vegetables fresh are recyclable, and insulating pads can also be composted. 
 
With increasing focus on food waste across the Nordic nations, there are more opportunities than ever before for all of us to reduce our impact on the environment. From food sharing groups to smart apps, from packaging-free supermarkets to meal kits, food waste is a problem everyone can play a part in tackling.
 
Want to try HelloFresh? Get a discount on your first four boxes as a reader of The Local – in Sweden, click here and use the code ‘THELOCAL925’ or in Denmark, click here and use the code ‘THELOCAL725’. 
 
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MONEY

What are the best savings options in Norway?  

Having some money set aside for a rainy day is always smart. Luckily, there are plenty of options available in Norway. However, what's best overall may depend on your situation. 

What are the best savings options in Norway?  

After your rent or mortgage, taxes, bills, and other monthly expenses are covered, you should hopefully have some money left over to put into savings and plan for your future. 

Whether you’re thinking of a rainy day fund, a nest egg, or money to put towards a home, Norway has plenty of options. 

What’s best overall will depend on your own needs. For example, if you want flexibility, you’ll want an account that allows you to make deposits and withdrawals whenever you wish. However, if you want a good rate, you’ll likely need to pen the ink on an account restricting withdrawals. 

For the best returns, look further ahead with a savings account that invests in stocks. These accounts deliver the best returns after around ten years. 

If it’s a house you’re after, you may want a BSU account. 

READ MORE: The key things you need to know about savings accounts in Norway 

The best rates come with strings attached

In terms of the best interest rates, BSU accounts typically offer the best returns. The Boligsparing for Ungdom (BSU) accounts have interest rates of around 6-6.5 percent at the time of writing. 

However, these accounts come with a catch. First, there are limits on how much you can invest per year, second, there are age restrictions, and third, the accounts can only be used for housing-related spending. 

Flexibility 

When it comes to savings accounts with more flexibility, there are several options. 

Buffer accounts (bufferkonto) are savings accounts that allow you to save up for unforeseen circumstances, such as an unexpected bill. Typically, these accounts aren’t expected to be the main savings pool. 

You can normally open these accounts without being an existing bank member, meaning you can shop around for the best rate. As these accounts are supposed to act as a buffer, you can make deposits and withdrawals as frequently as you need. 

These accounts will typically have rates comparable to savings accounts that don’t require a minimum monthly deposit and allow flexible withdrawal. 

At the time of writing, these accounts pay between 3.7 and 4.7 percent annual interest. 

For the medium term 

Some savings accounts offer slightly higher interest, but they may restrict or charge deposit fees. 

Other restrictions, such as being a bank customer, having a mortgage with it, or being a union member, may also apply. 

In a recent survey on banking among readers, a number said that union membership offered them competitive rates with savings accounts. Meanwhile, OBOS, Norway’s biggest housing association, also offers a high-interest savings account. 

Fixed-interest accounts may also offer an attractive option in the medium term. While interest rates in Norway are currently high, they are expected to fall in the coming years, so you may wish to consider a fixed interest rate account. 

Banks typically offer fixed interest for 1-3 years. The longer the rate is locked, the lower the overall rate. Therefore, it may be worth calculating whether you can expect to be better off overall by signing up for a fixed rate rather than going with the flow. 

These accounts typically offer rates a percentage point below flexible accounts.  

Longer term 

Those with an eye on the future could put even more money into their pension accounts. Typically, you will already be paying towards a state pension and workplace pension scheme in Norway. 

However, you can also invest in an IPA, individual pension account. The Sparebank group typically offers the best rates on these. At the time of writing, anywhere between 3 and 4 percent is considered a good rate. 

If you intend to save for longer than three years but don’t want to wait until retirement, consider putting some of your savings into a fund. In the longer term, these typically offer better returns than a bank. 

An index fund (indeksfond) is considered the easiest and cheapest to invest in. The cheaper the fund, the less it will affect returns. 

Mutual funds (aksjefond) are more actively managed but have higher costs. 

Then you will need to consider the scope of the fund. A more global fund will, generally, have lower risk.

Such funds are risky. Stock markets rise and fall, and over ten years, there is no guarantee that they will outperform a savings account. 

Some banks like DNB offer a combination of traditional savings and investment into funds. They offer accounts where anywhere from 30 to 100 percent of the money will be invested in shares while the rest will sit in a savings account. 

Such accounts also allow savers to choose the level of risk they are comfortable with.

If you are saving large amounts, then you may be subject to a tweak to the exit tax rules should you relocate from Norway. 

READ MORE: What we know so far about Norway’s plans for an exit tax

Where to check for the best rates 

When looking solely at savings accounts and not funds, then Finansportalen from the Norwegian Consumer Council will be an essential tool. 

It allows you to input the type of account you’re after, the money you expect to deposit and your age. From there, it will list the most important T&Cs of the accounts and order them from the best rate to the worst. 

You can also filter out banks that require you to already be a customer or take on other products. 

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