UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE: FOOD WASTE VS. LOSS

Food loss and waste are often conflated. Food loss occurs during production, harvest, and processing—before food reaches retailers. This is especially true in developing countries, where limited management systems, inadequate technologies, and scarce investments in innovation make the problem worse.

Food waste, on the other hand, happens once food reaches stores or homes, when consumers and businesses discard perfectly edible products. This is more common in developed countries, where food is abundant and supported by advanced technologies and investments—yet the issue persists.

Recognizing this distinction is essential. Beyond its economic and technical dimensions, food waste is also a human rights issue: every wasted meal reflects the deprivation faced daily by millions of people.

MOUNTAINS OF WASTE: THE UNPARALLELED SCALE

The numbers are staggering. In the European Union alone, each person wastes nearly 132 kg of food per year, amounting to approximately 59 million tonnes collectively, equivalent to roughly 132 billion Euros wasted. According to Eurostat, households account for more than half of this waste (54%), followed by food services and restaurants (11%), retail (8%), and primary production (8%). This reality becomes all the more striking when compared to the millions who go hungry each day.

THE UNSEEN TOOL ON THE PLANET AND PEOPLE

Wasting food doesn’t just empty plates; it also causes strain on our planet. The EU estimates that food waste and loss account for 16% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, landfills full of waste contribute to 14% of global methane emissions, a gas 80 times more potent than CO2. Not to mention, food that is evidently wasted or lost uses up to 28% of all arable land globally—the equivalent of blocking off all of China. The problem goes far beyond what we see in our bins; it is a silent crisis affecting the planet.

WHAT’S BEING DONE

The EU recently introduced new binding food waste reduction targets that must be met by December 31, 2030: 10% from food processing and manufacturing, and 30% per capita from retail, restaurants, food services, and households. These targeted estimates reflect the amount of waste generated between 2021 and 2023. Following this, EU countries will have a duty to ensure that economic operators help facilitate the prevention of food waste and the donation of unsold edible food. These policies create space for improved efficiency as they demand innovation along the supply chain, for instance, improved refrigeration.

The United States has also implemented action plans since 2015 to reduce its food waste per capita from 328 pounds annually to 164 by 2030, in line with the United Nations’ SDG target 12.3. To accelerate their plan, which hasn’t been highly productive to date, there has been a recent interagency collaboration between the FDA, USDA, and EPA aimed at educating their citizens on how to mitigate food loss and waste.

China has recently implemented various initiatives to combat malnutrition within its country. To start, a 5-year bright agricultural plan, aiming to decrease production loss within the supply chain and maximize productivity. Moreover, the general offices of the Chinese State Council have announced a goal by 2027 of nearly eliminating food waste within their country entirely. Within the same timeframe, they have claimed that the loss of grain and food will be below international levels, encompassing all of production, transportation, and processing sectors. In each case, these policy frameworkers are what’s creating a stage for innovation within our supply chains, all to build a more sustainable future.

OUR ACTIONS MATTER: WHAT CAN WE DO?

At Competere, we believe that change is possible, and even these small steps can make a difference when guided by the right policies and supported by investments. Together, they can create the conditions for innovation across the entire supply chain. Producers can adopt the most advanced techniques, invest in resilient agriculture, and help smaller enterprises meet sustainability standards. In processing and distribution, stronger cold chain management—such as refrigeration technologies developed by Trane Technologies—alongside AI-driven predictive analytics and hyperspectral imagery from innovators like Zest and Neolithics, is improving efficiency and extending shelf life through more innovative packaging. Consumers, in turn, can contribute by properly storing their food, adhering to grocery lists, and using apps like digital meal planners or Too Good To Go to significantly reduce their waste. When innovation can be simultaneously backed by both investment and supporting policy, we can see food sources moving from a source of loss to a powerful driver of sustainability for our world. We are working to make this framework possible.