Tackling Food Waste
Introduction
Introduction
Food waste
'In the EU, over 58 million tonnes of food waste (130 kg/inhabitant) are generated annually (Eurostat, 2025), with an associated market value estimated at 132 billion euros (SWD (2023)421). At the same time, over 42 million people cannot afford a quality meal every second day (Eurostat, 2023). Globally, approximately a third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted (FAO, 2011). FAO's Food Loss Index (FLI) estimates that globally, around 14% of all food produced is lost from the post-harvest stage up to, but excluding, the retail stage (FAO, 2019).'
Source: European Commission
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