Waste not, want not

24.04.23 | After falling 1.3% in 2020, the volume of food waste expanded just under 1% in 2021, according to a new report from the policy research group ReFED. While the year to year percentage changes appear minor, the absolute level of food waste adds up. In 2021 the US generated 91 million tons of food that went unsold or uneaten. This food waste represents 38% of total US food production; just ahead of UN estimates for global food waste at 33% of production. The value of food waste in the US amounts to USD 444 billion, and the issue accounts for nearly 6% of the country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. As we pointed out in our November 2021 note on ReFED’s research, reducing food waste therefore represents an enormous opportunity for people, planet, and profits. 

Source: ReFED, April 2023.