Australia loses A$36 billion annually to food waste

Australia is wasting approximately 7.6 million tonnes of food annually, resulting in an economic loss exceeding A$36 billion. Notably, about 70% of the discarded food remains edible. The hospitality sector is a major contributor, wasting roughly 1.2 million tonnes of food each year, which equates to an estimated A$6.4 billion in losses. On average, individual food-service businesses lose about A$66,000 annually due to inefficiencies such as oversized portions, spoilage, and poor inventory management.

Experts warn that many businesses are unaware of the scale of their waste or its impact on profit margins. This issue is compounded by the fact that fewer than one-quarter of businesses regularly monitor their food waste. Beyond economic impacts, the waste contributes to landfill capacity crises, with facilities in Perth, New South Wales, and Victoria approaching or expected to reach saturation limits in the coming years.

The Australian Federal Government has committed to halving food waste by 2030. To support this, the government is investing in organic waste recycling infrastructure and research centers. However, academics have expressed doubt regarding the feasibility of meeting the 2030 target under current conditions, especially as millions of households face food insecurity.