With 416,000 kg of donated food and a €0.15 waste rate per kilo, suppliers save about €62,400 per year. The MKBA by New Economy counts this as an avoided cost for the donors. Donating turns a disposal cost into a social benefit. Without a calculation, the social value of informal food initiatives stays invisible, while the cost of inaction keeps rising.
A social cost-benefit analysis values the network’s benefits against public spending and avoidable social costs. This is relevant for municipalities, city districts and organisations working on food security, poverty and public health.