FOOD WASTE: NOT AN ETHICAL PROBLEM, BUT A SYSTEMIC ONE.
INNOVATION IS THE KEY TO REDUCING IT

Leggi il Comunicato Stampa in Italiano

Rome, February 5, 2026 – Every year, 1.05 billion tons of food are wasted worldwide, about one-third of global production. In Italy, waste amounts to 5.124 million tons, with an economic value of €13.51 billion, according to data from Waste Watcher International. These figures take on even greater significance when viewed in relation to another structural fact: over 8 million people in the country live in conditions of moderate or severe food insecurity.

On National Food Waste Prevention Day, Pietro Paganini, President of Competere.eu, an institute for policies promoting innovation, trade, and human development, emphasizes that waste and losses cannot be addressed solely as an ethical issue, nor can they be resolved with ideological approaches or by relying exclusively on the goodwill of individual citizens. Education is essential, but it is not enough.

“Food waste is first and foremost a problem of system inefficiency, says Paganini. Reducing losses means taking action throughout the supply chain, placing technological and organizational innovation at the heart of the response.”

The data show that waste is distributed throughout the value chain: agricultural production, industrial processing, distribution, and domestic consumption. For this reason, solutions must be systemic. In this context, the food and livestock industries are not part of the problem, but decisive tools for the solution.

The food industry, including through the industrial processing of products, enables greater shelf life, more efficient distribution, reduced waste, and high standards of safety and quality. Technologies often mislabeled as “ultra-processed” are actually a concrete lever for reducing waste, protecting food, and ensuring continuity of supply throughout the supply chain.

Modern and regenerative animal husbandry also contributes significantly to reducing losses, thanks to the integral use of raw materials, the valorization of by-products, and the use of co-products from the agri-food industry in animal feed. This is a model of applied circular economy, already widespread in many Italian contexts, which transforms waste into a resource.

Finally, consumers must be empowered to waste less. Here too, technology can make a difference: home automation, artificial intelligence, and precision nutrition solutions help people plan their purchases, manage their stocks, and consume more consciously, drastically reducing household waste.

“The fight against waste cannot be won with slogans or bans,” concludes Paganini. “It can be won with innovation, supply chain efficiency, and shared responsibility. This is the way to truly reduce losses, improve food safety, and strengthen the competitiveness of the agri-food system.”

Read Food waste: why technology, supply chains, and systems matter more than moralizing>>>