March 04, 2021

Anna Murray 

On March 4th, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and a UK-based global nonprofit organization WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) published the Food Waste Index Report 2021, pointing out that over 930 million tons of food sold in 2019 were wasted, accounting for 17% of all foods available to consumers.

Based on the research, there are 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions related to unconsumed food, showing that food waste has substantial environmental, social and economic influence.

The report looks into food waste in retail outlets, restaurants and homes — both food and uneatable parts such as bones and shells are counted, covering 152 food waste data points and 54 countries. 

Photo:Webshot.