The Facts

What is the Impact?
 

The Numbers in a Nutshell

• In 2022, 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted—19% of food at the consumer level (retail, food service and households) (UNEP, 2024).
• 13% of food is also lost from post-harvest up to, and excluding, retail (FAO).
• Households generate 60% of all food waste—equivalent to 631 million tonnes in 2022. Food services contribute 290 million tonnes and retail 131 million (UNEP, 2024).
• The average person wastes 79 kg of food each year—equivalent to at least 1 billion meals wasted every day.
• Food waste occurs while 783 million people face hunger and one-third of the global population is food insecure.
   

A Global Issue

• Food waste is not just a problem of wealthy countries.
• Average per capita household food waste differs by only 7 kg/year between high-, upper-middle-, and lower-middle-income countries (UNEP, 2024).
• Progress is possible: the UK and Japan reduced household food waste by 24% and 53%, respectively.
• Governments, municipalities, and food businesses must collaborate to scale solutions and support households to act.
   

Climate Action

• Food loss and waste generate 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC, 2019).
• Greenhouse gases are emitted at every stage of the food supply chain—from production to disposal—regardless of whether food is consumed.
• Rotting food in landfills contributes up to 14% of global methane emissions, a greenhouse gas over 80 times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years (calculated through US EPA, 2025)
• Methane from decomposing organic waste in landfills, open dumps and wastewater contributes nearly 20% of all human-caused methane emissions.
• GHG emissions from food loss and waste worsen drought, desertification, and extreme weather unpredictability.
   

Pollution and Chemicals

• 71% of municipal solid waste—of which food is often the largest component—ends up in methane-emitting landfills.
• Fertilizer use for uneaten food has contributed to over 400 ocean dead zones, harming marine life and ecosystems.
   

Nature and Biodiversity

• 28% of the world’s arable land is used to produce food that is never eaten.
• Wasted food consumes a quarter of all freshwater used in agriculture—while a land area larger than China is used to grow it.
• Food waste squanders critical natural resources and accelerates biodiversity loss.
• Target 16 of the Global Biodiversity Framework explicitly calls for halving global food waste by 2030.
   

Economic Impact

• Food waste costs the global economy USD 1 trillion annually.
• For every USD 1 invested in food waste reduction, the return is USD 14 (Hanson & Mitchell, 2017).
• City investments yield even higher returns—up to USD 92 for every dollar spent, considering resident benefits (Champions 12.3).