The Leading Causes and Consequences of Food Loss and Waste
Food loss and waste (FLW) is a pressing global issue with far-reaching consequences. The impacts of FLW are significant from environmental damage to economic losses, and according to Project DrawnDown, reduction is the #1 solution to fighting the climate crisis.
Food loss and waste occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, from farm to fork. Understanding the underlying causes is essential for developing effective solutions. A complex interplay of factors contributes to FLW, including inadequate infrastructure, suboptimal packaging, poor food management, consumer behaviors, and supply chain inefficiencies.
Inadequate Infrastructure: Poor transportation infrastructure, lack of cold storage, and outdated agricultural equipment can contribute to food loss during production and transportation. For example, poorly maintained roads can delay the delivery of perishable goods, leading to spoilage.
Supply Chain Inefficiencies: Delays, inefficiencies, and quality issues in the supply chain can lead to food loss at various stages. Further, improper supply and demand forecasting can lead to overstocking and thus a higher volume of perfectly good food to be thrown away.
Ineffective Food Management: Inefficient food handling practices, such as overcooking, preparing excessive amounts, or general lack of training can result in waste at the consumer and retail levels. Moreover, composting systems and food donation planning don’t exist at all grocery stores and retailers, contributing to 23 million tons of food waste.
Suboptimal Packaging: Improper packaging can lead to spoilage and waste, especially for perishable products. Using the wrong type of packaging or failing to sustain proper temperature conditions can result in food loss.
Consumer Behaviors: Overbuying, improper storage, and concerns about expiration dates contribute to food waste in households. Many consumers are unaware of the best practices for storing and using food and often misread expiration labels, leading to unnecessary waste. Uninformed preferences also account for major losses, because produce can “fail to meet quality standards” like shape, size, color, and weight and goes unsold.
The consequences of food loss and waste are far-reaching and detrimental, impacting the environment, economy, and society. Food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, land degradation, economic losses, food insecurity, and health issues.
Environmental Impact: FLW contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and land degradation. When food is discarded in landfills, it decomposes and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas with a warming potential 25 times higher than CO2! Did you know, FLW accounts for approximately 10% of global GHG emissions?
Economic Losses: FLW costs the global economy over $1 trillion annually, impacting businesses and consumers alike. Grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers bear the financial burden of lost revenue due to food waste, losing thousands of dollars in potential profits every year.
Resource Depletion: The production, processing, transportation, storage, and disposal of food require significant resources such as labor, land, water, and energy. When food is wasted, these resources are also wasted. Further, FLW is estimated to account for 24% of total water usage, that's a lot of likely wasted water!
FLW is a complex issue with significant consequences for the environment and the economy. By understanding the causes and implementing effective solutions, we can create a more sustainable and efficient food system. Sustain-a-Plate is committed to driving change and empowering businesses to reduce food waste and protect our planet. Learn more about Sustain-a-Plate on our home page and stay tuned for next week’s blog post highlighting existing solutions, policies and tactics to battling the problem of food loss and waste.
Sources:
https://www.wri.org/insights/reducing-food-loss-and-food-waste
https://www.clf.org/blog/why-we-waste-food/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723314/
https://www.usda.gov/foodwaste/faqs
https://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/reduce-food-waste
https://www.rts.com/resources/guides/food-waste-america
