Like many sectors of activity, restaurants are questioning their environmental impact.
In Brittany, eighteen establishments have thus lent themselves since autumn 2019 to an unprecedented experiment conducted by the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe).
And the results are rather encouraging with savings of 10 to 30% in electricity and water as well as often significant gains in terms of food.
"Thanks to small investments", such as presence detectors, aerators for water or rainwater recovery depending on the case, "10% to 30% rapid savings in electricity and water »Were obtained for volunteer restaurateurs, says Ademe in a press release.
In terms of food purchases, savings ranging from “256 euros to 14,000 euros” over one year, depending on the type of restaurant, have also been achieved by reducing waste.
No European Ecolabel for restaurants yet
This experiment also aimed to “develop a reference system compatible with the requirements of a European Ecolabel certification”.
This collaborative work has thus “resulted in formalizing a benchmark made up of 75 criteria (33 compulsory and 42 optional) relating to various themes such as the culinary offer, reduction of food waste, water and energy savings, mobility or even the involvement of staff ”, according to Ademe.
There is a European Ecolabel for hotels but not yet for restaurants.
Following this experience, a file will be put together for recognition by the European Commission, the same source said.
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