EU ‘wastes 153m tonnes of food a year’ amid soaring costs

The EU wastes more food than it imports, exacerbating the climate crisis and runaway food prices, a report has found.

About 153m tonnes of food in the EU are binned every year, 15m tonnes more than is shipped in, according to the study by Feedback EU.

Researchers say the EU’s food waste accounts for at least 6 per cent of its total emissions and costs the EU more than €143 billion per year

It also found that food loss and waste in the primary production, processing and food service sectors are substantial.

Frank Mechielsen, the director of Feedback EU, which produced the study, said: “At a time of high food prices and a cost of living crisis, it’s a scandal that the EU is potentially throwing away more food than it’s importing.

“The EU now has a massive opportunity to set legally binding targets to halve its food waste from farm to fork by 2030 to tackle climate change and improve food security.

“It’s critical that targets include waste on farms and from processing and food service businesses; if the EU limits targets to covering only retail and consumer food waste, our report finds that between 48 and 76 per cent of total EU food waste would be excluded, which would leave most businesses causing food waste in supply chains unaccountable for food waste reduction.”

The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land found that global food loss and waste equalled 8 to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and cost the world about $1 trillion per year between 2010 and 2016.

Despite the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index showing global food prices going down for the fifth month in a row, European consumers are expected to face increased food prices over winter.

According to experts, harsh climatic conditions and the extreme heat that swept the continent in summer are expected to slash crop yields, which will lead to a further jump in food prices, putting more pressure on lower-income families.

Data from the British Retail Consortium found food prices in supermarkets increased by 5.1 per cent annually last month, surpassing the 4.4 per cent rise in July.