Food waste, the quintessence of unsustainable development
Food waste: a global problem
Food waste is a major issue in both economic and environmental terms. According to a study published in Food Waste Management, a significant portion of fruits and vegetables intended for human consumption are discarded for purely aesthetic reasons before even entering the retail chain. For example, 34.7% of apples produced in China are subject to aesthetic selection, with 17.1% discarded despite being edible.
This waste not only represents an economic loss but also contributes to social and environmental injustices.
Food waste in Italy
The Waste Watcher Observatory found that each Italian wastes nearly 700 g of food per week, more than 35 kg per year. Nationally, this equals the output of about two million hectares of farmland and livestock — roughly the surface area of Lithuania.
The “Spreco Zero” campaign highlighted the importance of measuring and monitoring the ecological footprint of food waste in order to promote more conscious choices.
Waste on a global scale
The 2024 Food Waste Report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates global food waste at 931 million tonnes per year, with 61% from households, 26% from food service, and 13% from retail.
According to the FAO, food waste involves over one third of all food produced annually worldwide. The consequences include severe environmental impacts: 3.3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter after the USA and China.
Causes and differences between countries
In more developed countries, large amounts of still-edible food are discarded directly by consumers. In developing countries, losses occur mainly in production and storage stages.
In both cases, wasting food means depleting valuable resources such as energy, water, and soil, while increasing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing waste: goals and solutions
The United Nations General Assembly included in the 2030 Agenda the goal of halving food waste by 2030. Options include: improving post-harvest infrastructure, raising consumer awareness, donating unsold food to charities, reusing it as animal feed, and above all, adjusting production to real needs to avoid surpluses.
Reducing food waste brings economic benefits, preserves natural resources, promotes sustainability, and reduces inequalities.
