Where does food waste come from, and why is it bad?

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, roughly 30% of food is wasted globally each year. Food waste occurs at various points in the food supply chain, including during production, retail and consumption. On farms, produce gets thrown out if it’s damaged by bad weather, pests and diseases. However, even if produce isn’t damaged, a lot will still go to waste due to overproduction and unstable market prices.

At the retail stage of the supply chain, food gets rejected when it goes past its best before dates, has some deformities or is overstocked. On the consumption level, a major contributor to household food waste includes poor shopping habits that don’t fit consumers’ regular meal plans, as well as improper storage and lack of visibility in the fridge.

Food waste puts unnecessary strain on the environment by using up valuable resources such as water, energy and farmland. Furthermore, food waste that ends up in landfills emits methane, one of the most significant drivers of climate change.