Food Waste: Global Scale and Resources

One-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, roughly one third of the food produced, approximately 1.3 billion tonnes, is either lost or wasted. In dollar terms, this equates to approximately US$990 billion.

Key resources

• Key Facts on Food Waste, Food and Agriculture Organisation fao.org/food-loss-and-food-waste/flw-data

• Food Waste Reduction, WRAP wrap.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/food-waste-reduction-roadmap-accelerates-journey-halving-food-waste

• Food Losses and Waste, EU Commission ademe.fr/sites/default/files/assets/documents/food-losses-waste-inventory-management-2016-summary.pdf

• Food Losses and Food Waste in China, OECD

• Estimates of European Food Waste, EU Commission (EU-Fusions)