Food Waste Across Different Stages of the Supply Chain
Global Overview
- Average Loss: According to FAO, approximately 14% of the world’s food is lost between the post-harvest and retail stages.
- Regional Differences:
- Central and Southern Asia: Food loss can reach up to 21% during the early stages of the supply chain due to poor infrastructure.
- Europe and North America: Food loss is around 16% due to better but still imperfect systems.
Stages of Waste
Production:
Challenges: Inefficient harvesting techniques and a lack of proper infrastructure are major challenges in developing regions. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, inadequate harvesting methods and equipment result in significant losses during the initial stages of the food supply chain
Impact: FAO estimates that in some regions, up to 20% of cereal crops are lost due to inadequate harvesting practices. This not only represents a significant loss of food but also a waste of the resources used to produce it, such as water, labor, and energy
Handling and Storage:
Challenges: The lack of adequate storage facilities and poor transportation infrastructure leads to spoilage, particularly of perishable goods like fruits and vegetables. This is a critical issue in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, where food can be stored improperly or transported over long distances without adequate cooling
Impact: For example, FAO reports that in some African countries, up to 50% of fruits and vegetables are lost between the farm and the market due to spoilage
Processing and Packaging:
Challenges: Losses occur due to inefficiencies in processing, such as mechanical damage during processing, and during packaging, where food that does not meet quality standards is discarded. This is particularly true in regions where processing facilities are outdated or poorly maintained.
Impact: In industrialized countries, significant amounts of food are discarded during processing because they do not meet aesthetic standards. For example, it’s estimated that in the United States, 20-40% of fresh produce is discarded because it doesn’t meet cosmetic standards set by retailers
Distribution and Retail:
Challenges: Food can be damaged during transportation, and unsold items are often discarded by retailers. This is a common issue in developed countries, where overstocking and stringent sell-by dates contribute to high levels of food waste at the retail level
Impact: In Europe, an estimated 5% of food waste occurs at the retail level, primarily due to overstocking and the discarding of unsold products close to their expiration dates
Consumption:
Challenges: Consumers, particularly in industrialized countries, waste significant amounts of food due to over-purchasing, spoilage, and cultural preferences. In the United States, for example, it is estimated that consumers waste approximately 21% of the food they purchase, which translates into around 25 million tons of food wasted annually
Impact: This stage contributes the most to food waste in wealthy nations, where food is often discarded due to over-purchasing or not being consumed before it spoils. The economic cost of this waste is staggering, with an estimated $680 billion lost annually in industrialized countries alone.