Central to the Organising Committee’s successful bid to host next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games was the pledge to reduce the carbon footprint of the Games by half compared to previous editions, and to promote responsible ways of living. Paris 2024’s ‘food vision’ prioritises quality, taste and experience as well as the purity of products.
The figure of 13m meals comprises 5m snacks for spectators, 3.5m meals for staff and volunteers, 2.2m for competitors, 1.8m for the media, 350,000 hospitality meals, and a further 150,000 for the Olympic and Paralympic community.
Commitments on the menu, include to halve the average carbon footprint of the 13 million meals served over the four weeks; cut single-use plastic by half; to have 80% of the products sourced locally or within France; reduce food waste and recover 100% of unconsumed resources as well as re-using all catering equipment.
Marie Sallois, the IOC’s director for sustainability, said: “France certainly knows how to welcome the world to its table. The Games organisers are laser focused on showcasing French food that is sourced, produced and consumed in a responsible way. We hope that this approach will go beyond helping reduce the Games’ footprint, raising the bar for sustainable catering at sports events and beyond.”