Food Waste

Food waste is a critical global issue with significant environmental, economic, and social impacts. Food is lost or wasted at every stage of the supply chain:

• On the Farm: In the field, food loss occurs due to pests, disease, and improper harvesting techniques. In developing countries, inadequate storage and transportation infrastructure can lead to significant post-harvest losses.
• Processing and Distribution: During processing, food can be lost due to inefficiencies or rejected for not meeting quality standards. In distribution, improper handling and lack of refrigeration can spoil perishable goods.
• Retail Level: Supermarkets often discard food that is near its "sell-by" date or doesn't meet aesthetic standards for shape, size, or color. Overstocking and improper stock rotation also contribute to waste.
• Consumer Level: At home, people throw away food due to over-purchasing, cooking too much, confusion over expiration labels, and improper storage.

Common reasons people throw away food include misunderstanding of date labels (e.g., "best before," "sell by," "use by"), buying more than needed due to promotions, and lack of meal planning. Reducing food waste can alleviate hunger, conserve resources, and mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production and decomposition in landfills.

Some stats:

• Approximately one-third of all food produced globally—about 1.3 billion tons—is lost or wasted every year.
• Food waste costs the global economy nearly $940 billion annually. 
• Households are responsible for about 53% of total food waste in developed countries. 
• In developing countries, up to 40% of food losses occur at post-harvest and processing levels due to inadequate infrastructure. 
• Retailers discard up to 10% of edible food due to cosmetic standards and overstocking. 
• Reducing food waste by half could feed an additional 1 billion people. 
• Up to 25% of freshwater used in agriculture is lost to food waste. 
• If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the U.S. and China.