Food waste indicates all the food (including drink) and associated inedible parts removed from the human food supply chain in the following sectors: manufacturing of food products, food/grocery retail, food service, and households.

Every year, the EU states produce over 59.2 million tonnes of food waste, which corresponds to 132 kg per inhabitant. This data is even more dramatic if we consider that over 37 million people can’t afford a quality meal every second day.

At global level, one third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted. Looking at the UNEP data, in 2019 around 931 million tonnes of food waste have been produced, counting as 17% of the total global food production. But at which moment is this food becoming waste? The big majority of the food waste is produced in the households (more than a half of the food waste produced), in food service (restaurants, catering) and in retail (supermarkets, shops).

Behind this amount of food waste, both economic and environmental impacts are hidden. Data estimates that for the food waste produced yearly in Europe, there’s an associated market value of 132 billion euros. Furthermore, food waste has consequences in terms of Greenhouse Gas Emissions related, for instance, to the use of cropland, freshwater resources, and fertilizers for food production. 

Why is prevention key to reducing the environmental impact of food waste?

Preventing food waste has huge environmental, social, and economic benefits.  Food waste is responsible for 8-10% of global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and uses an estimated 28% of the world’s agricultural land, an area larger than China and India combined. This land could otherwise enhance food security, nature restoration, and biodiversity. To meet its 2030 climate goal of a 55% reduction, the EU must double its pace in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and food waste reduction plays a key role as it represents approximately 15% of the total GHG footprint of the EU’s food system.

Moreover, over 37 million people in the EU cannot afford a quality meal every second day, while globally, wasted food could feed 1.26 billion hungry people every year. This makes preventing food waste not only a moral imperative but also an economic incentive to save money for farmers, companies, and households. In fact, wasting food costs EU businesses and consumers an estimated €143 billion a year. Preventing food losses and waste is hence a win on multiple fronts: for our climate, biodiversity, food security, business revenues, and household budgets.  

Why is food waste a relevant sector to move towards a circular economy?

Several factors contribute to food waste in the supply chain: aesthetics standards preventing not perfect food from being harvested or sold, damage during transport and storage, long supply chains, standardised packaging sizes, and regular store shelf replenishment. Consumers also contribute by misunderstanding date labels, overbuying food, or lacking proper storage and cooking skills.  

Addressing those diverse causes requires multi-level interventions; key measures include, for example, greater cross-supply chain cooperation, shortening supply chains, ensuring all food gets harvested, avoiding oversized portions in restaurants, improving date labelling, avoiding standardised packaging, supporting food donations, and raising consumer awareness about better food preservation. Numerous large manufacturers are already leading the way, achieving waste reductions of 30%, 40%, and even 50% by 2030. Governments must stimulate food waste prevention at all levels, and EU-wide legally binding targets can guide the way and ensure every country is doing its fair share of the challenging task ahead.