The Issue
Food waste is a significant global issue with far-reaching environmental, economic, and social implications. While the specific numbers may vary depending on the source, the following statistics provide an overview of the scale of food waste:
Global food waste: Approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption, or about 1.3 billion tons, is wasted each year (FAO).
Financial impact: The economic cost of food waste is estimated to be around $940 billion per year (FAO).
Environmental impact: If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter. Food waste generates around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions (FAO).
Uneaten food: Around 45% of all fruits and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, and 20% of dairy products and meat are lost or wasted each year (FAO).
Food waste in developed countries: In developed countries, over 40% of food waste occurs at the retail and consumer levels. The average consumer in Europe and North America wastes between 95-115 kg of food per year (FAO).
Food waste in developing countries: In developing countries, food waste mostly occurs during the production, handling, and storage stages, with an estimated 120-170 kg of food lost per person per year (FAO).
Hunger: Despite the large amounts of food wasted globally, approximately 690 million people worldwide suffer from chronic undernourishment (FAO).
Efforts to reduce food waste can help address environmental, economic, and social issues by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving resources, saving money, and supporting food security.
- Hunger: According to the World Food Programme, over 690 million people worldwide go to bed hungry every night.
- Malnutrition: Malnutrition affects 149 million children under the age of five worldwide, and is responsible for nearly half of all deaths in this age group.
- Disasters: The number of disasters has more than doubled in the last 20 years, affecting more than 1.7 billion people and causing over 700,000 deaths.
- Refugee Crisis: There are currently over 26 million refugees worldwide, the highest number since World War II.
- Poverty: Over 700 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty, earning less than $1.90 per day.
- Food Waste: Around one-third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted, which is enough to feed 2 billion people.
- These statistics illustrate the scale and severity of the hunger and disaster relief needs that exist around the world. They highlight the urgent need for organizations like ours to work tirelessly to provide nutritious food to those in need during times of crisis. By freeze-drying excess food from restaurants and retailers, we can help ensure that this food does not go to waste and instead reaches the people who need it most.
- In 2020, an estimated 9.9% of the global population, or 768 million people, were undernourished. (Source: FAO)
- In 2021, 42 million people in the United States were food insecure, including 13 million children. (Source: Feeding America)
- Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence of hunger, with over 21% of the population undernourished. (Source: FAO)
- Asia has the largest number of undernourished people, with over 418 million people affected. (Source: FAO)
- In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in global hunger, with an estimated 161 million people now facing acute hunger. (Source: World Food Programme)
- Women and children are disproportionately affected by hunger, with 60% of the world’s hungry being women and girls. (Source: World Food Programme)
- These statistics show that hunger is a significant global issue that affects millions of people, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the problem. Organizations like ours play a crucial role in addressing hunger by providing nutritious food to those in need during times of crisis.