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Global food loss and waste challenges

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-30 06:43 UTC → 2026-09-30 20:49 UTC · added removed

Global and regional data highlight the scale of food loss and waste across various stages of the supply chain. In Latin America, specifically Argentina, it is estimated that up to one-third of food produced is lost or wasted. The Red de Bancos de Alimentos estimates 16 million tons of annual loss, representing 12.5% of total agri-food production. On an individual level in Argentina, nutrition specialists note that the average person discards roughly 38 kilograms of edible food per year, frequently including prepared meals, leftovers, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and bakery products. On a global scale, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that approximately 1.05 billion tons of food—roughly 19 percent of food available to consumers—is wasted or lost annually. This waste is distributed across households (60 percent), the food service sector (28 percent), and retail (12 percent). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that this wasted food could potentially feed approximately 1.26 billion people. Recent reports suggest that globally, approximately 1.3 billion tons of edible food are discarded annually. The FAO also estimates that 13 percent of food is lost post-harvest before reaching markets. Environmental and economic impacts are significant, as food waste is linked to roughly 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes vast amounts of land and water. represents an economic loss estimated at over $1 trillion per year. Regional challenges persist: Brazil wastes nearly 30 percent of produced food annually, Montenegro estimates 50,000 tons of annual waste, and Croatia reports over 221,000 tons. Addressing these issues is a component of In the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to halve per capita European Union, Eurostat reported that in 2024, 58 billion kilograms of food waste at were wasted, with households accounting for 54 percent of the retail and consumer levels by 2030. total.

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  1. 2026-09-30 20:49 UTC Global food loss and waste challenges
  2. 2026-09-30 06:43 UTC Global food loss and waste challenges
  3. 2026-09-29 16:21 UTC Global food loss and waste challenges

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