"60% of Food Waste Comes from Households"
"Advanced Countries Actually Produce Less Food Waste"
As the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East prolong and climate anomalies persist, nearly 800 million people in extreme poverty worldwide are suffering from food shortages, while a massive amount of food equivalent to 1 billion meals is being wasted daily. Most of the discarded food comes from developing countries with inadequate refrigeration and storage facilities.
"1 Billion Meals Wasted Daily, Worth Approximately 1350 Trillion Won"
On the 27th (local time), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reported in its 'Food Waste Index Report' that in 2022, food worth 1 trillion dollars (about 1350 trillion won) was discarded worldwide. UNEP explained that this corresponds to about 1 billion tons (t) of food, equivalent to 1 billion meals wasted daily.
UNEP stated in the report, "The figure of 1 billion meals wasted daily is a very conservative estimate, and the actual amount discarded is likely much higher," adding, "With 783 million people worldwide suffering from severe food shortages and hunger, the amount of food waste is excessively large."
More than 60% of food waste is generated from households, 28% from service providers such as hotels and restaurants, and 12% from retail outlets like butcher shops and grocery stores.
A massive amount of food waste is dumped in landfills, where large quantities of methane gas?a potent greenhouse gas?are emitted, adversely affecting global warming. UNEP emphasized, "Food waste accounts for up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions," urging the international community to pay greater attention to reducing food waste emissions.
"Developing Countries Produce More Food Waste... Need for Refrigeration and Storage Facilities"
In particular, UNEP pointed out that contrary to the common perception that food waste is mostly generated in developed countries, it is actually more prevalent in developing countries, mainly due to inadequate refrigeration and storage facilities.
UNEP's data shows that the global average food waste per person is 79 kg, but the amount of food waste generated per person in middle-income and higher countries is only about 7 kg. Food waste, often considered a problem of wealthy developed countries, actually occurs more in developing countries with large populations living in extreme poverty.
UNEP explained, "More food spoils and is discarded in developing countries due to insufficient refrigeration facilities caused by inadequate power infrastructure. Also, food spoils more easily in warmer countries of the Southern Hemisphere compared to colder countries in the Northern Hemisphere, making storage and transportation more difficult and leading to greater food waste."
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