Food Waste Index Report 2024

About the report

The Food Waste Index Report 2024, produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with WRAP, measures the scale of food waste to support action toward Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. It builds on the 2021 edition with greatly expanded global data and a shift from measurement toward reduction solutions.

Key findings

In 2022 the world generated 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste (including inedible parts) — about 132 kg per capita and nearly one-fifth of all food available to consumers. Households accounted for 60% of the total, food service 28% and retail 12%.

Impacts

Food loss and waste generates 8–10% of annual global greenhouse-gas emissions — almost five times that of the aviation sector — and drives significant biodiversity loss, with an estimated economic cost of roughly USD 1 trillion per year.

From measuring to reducing

The report expands guidance on measuring food waste across retail, food service and household sectors, and spotlights public–private partnerships as a practical tool for reduction. It notes that only 21 countries had included food loss and/or waste in their national climate plans (NDCs) as of 2022, making the 2025 NDC revision a key opportunity.

Original link: https://unep.org/resources/publication/food-waste-index-report-2024