The Briefing
- 80 billion pounds of food are wasted every year in the U.S.
- The majority of waste is created by households and retailers
The Enormous Scale of America’s Food Waste
Every year, 30% to 40% of food produced in the U.S. is either lost or wasted.
This waste occurs throughout the entire supply chain, though the majority of it occurs in downstream channels like households and retailers. Overall, 80 billion pounds of food is wasted each year, representing 242 pounds of food per person.
In this graphic sponsored by Global X ETFs, we highlight some of the most alarming facts regarding food waste in America.
Tracking Food Waste
The following table, using data from Recycle Track Systems (RTS), breaks down the sources of America’s food waste.
| Category | Percentage of total waste (%) |
|---|---|
| Households | 43% |
| Restaurants, grocery stores, food service companies | 40% |
| Farms | 16% |
| Manufacturers | 2% |
Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Surprisingly, households are the biggest source of food waste. One reason for this is people’s habit of overbuying, which naturally leads to large amounts of food going bad.
Another culprit is the lack of standardized packaging—it’s estimated that over 80% of Americans discard edible food because they misunderstand the expiration labels. Consumers should note that such labels are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The second biggest component of food waste is retailers such as grocery stores. According to the (Read more...)