The sheer quantity of edible, nourishing food that gets thrown away every year is stunning. According to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as much as a third of all the food produced for human consumption — about 1.3 billion metric tons (almost 3 trillion pounds) gets wasted annually. That includes nearly half of all the fruit and vegetables grown.
“If food loss and waste were a country,” writes Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme in the U.N.’s Food Waste Index Report 2021, “it would be the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.”Â
Food waste also burdens waste management systems, she points out, and of course contributes to food insecurity. It is thus, she says, “a major contributor to the three planetary crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.”
This is particularly tragic when you consider that more than 820 million people around the world — just over 11% of the global population — suffer from hunger, according to FAO. (These 10 nations have the worst hunger problems in the world.)
People waste food differently in different parts of the world. In developing countries, where chronic hunger is often the most severe, inefficient production techniques and lack of proper storage and distribution systems may be the major problems. War and political strife are contributing factors, as well.
In more affluent nations, consumer behavior is often to blame. People simply buy too much food and end up throwing a lot of it away. Europe and North America are the biggest culprits in this regard, wasting far more food than other parts of the world — as much as 95 kilograms (209 pounds) per capita each year or more in some cases. (To avoid contributing to the waste, don’t stock up on these 20 fast-spoiling foods during the pandemic.)
Global food waste data availability is currently low, and measurement approaches have been highly variable. Using the statistics available from the United Nations Environment Programme’s 2021 Food Waste Index Report, 24/7 Tempo has reviewed estimated household waste statistics for 50 countries. Only the waste estimates for these 50 countries are considered compatible with the Food Waste Index. These include 14 countries with “high-confidence” waste estimates in the U.N.’s survey and 36 countries with “medium-confidence” estimates.
Click here to see the size of household waste in 50 countries around the world
Source: structuresxx / Getty Images
1. Australia
> Household food wasted annually: 5.7 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 221.6 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 25,499,881
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Source: Mustang_79 / Getty Images
2. Austria
> Household food wasted annually: 770.0 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 85.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 9,006,400
Source: Leonid Andronov / Getty Images
3. Bahrain
> Household food wasted annually: 476.6 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 280.1 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 1,701,583
Source: dennissylvesterhurd / Flickr
4. Bangladesh
> Household food wasted annually: 23.4 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 142.1 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 164,689,383
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Source: orpheus26 / Getty Images
5. Belgium
> Household food wasted annually: 127.1 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 11.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 11,589,616
Source: SimonDannhauer / Getty Images
6. Belize
> Household food wasted annually: 45.3 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 114.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 397,621
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Source: wsfurlan / Getty Images
7. Brazil
> Household food wasted annually: 27.7 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 130.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 212,559,409
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Source: diegograndi / Getty Images
8. Canada
> Household food wasted annually: 6.5 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 171.6 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 37,742,157
Source: aphotostory / Getty Images
9. China
> Household food wasted annually: 202.0 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 140.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 1,439,323,774
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Source: DC_Colombia / Getty Images
10. Colombia
> Household food wasted annually: 7.8 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 153.6 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 50,882,884
Source: scanrail / Getty Images
11. Denmark
> Household food wasted annually: 1.0 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 178.7 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 5,792,203
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Source: KavalenkavaVolha / Getty Images
12. Estonia
> Household food wasted annually: 226.5 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 170.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 1,326,539
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Source: scanrail / Getty Images
13. Finland
> Household food wasted annually: 797.9 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 144.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 5,540,718
Source: manjik / Getty Images
14. France
> Household food wasted annually: 12.2 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 186.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 65,273,512
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Source: lovelypeace / Getty Images
15. Georgia
> Household food wasted annually: 889.7 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 223.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 3,989,175
Source: bluejayphoto / Getty Images
16. Germany
> Household food wasted annually: 13.8 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 164.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 83,783,945
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Source: Siempreverde22 / Getty Images
17. Ghana
> Household food wasted annually: 5.6 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 181.3 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 31,072,945
Source: marchello74 / Getty Images
18. Greece
> Household food wasted annually: 3.3 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 313.9 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 10,423,056
Source: TomasSereda / Getty Images
19. Hungary
> Household food wasted annually: 2.0 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 207.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 9,660,350
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Source: narvikk / Getty Images
20. India
> Household food wasted annually: 151.6 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 109.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 1,380,004,385
Source: tawatchaiprakobkit / Getty Images
21. Indonesia
> Household food wasted annually: 46.2 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 168.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 273,523,621
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Source: serkansenturk / Getty Images
22. Iraq
> Household food wasted annually: 10.4 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 259.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 40,222,503
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Source: yktr / Getty Images
23. Ireland
> Household food wasted annually: 59.0 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 12.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 4,937,796
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
24. Israel
> Household food wasted annually: 1.9 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 216.1 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 8,655,541
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Source: Eva-Katalin / Getty Images
25. Italy
> Household food wasted annually: 1.0 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 16.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 60,461,828
Source: yongyuan / Getty Images
26. Japan
> Household food wasted annually: 18.0 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 142.2 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 126,476,458
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Source: Jacek_Sopotnicki / Getty Images
27. Kenya
> Household food wasted annually: 11.5 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 213.9 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 53,771,300
Source: Nate Hovee / iStock via Getty Images
28. Lebanon
> Household food wasted annually: 1.6 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 231.7 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 6,825,442
Source: tibu / Getty Images
29. Luxembourg
> Household food wasted annually: 121.5 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 194.1 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 625,976
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Source: TomasSereda / Getty Images
30. Malaysia
> Household food wasted annually: 6.4 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 199.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 32,365,998
Source: danilovi / Getty Images
31. Malta
> Household food wasted annually: 125.2 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 283.7 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 441,539
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Source: ferrantraite / Getty Images
32. Mexico
> Household food wasted annually: 26.4 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 204.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 128,932,753
Source: Noppasin Wongchum / Getty Images
33. Netherlands
> Household food wasted annually: 1.9 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 110.0 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 17,134,873
Source: Robert CHG / Getty Images
34. New Zealand
> Household food wasted annually: 643.2 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 133.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 4,822,233
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Source: Jaxons / Getty Images
35. Nigeria
> Household food wasted annually: 83.6 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 405.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 206,139,587
Source: cookelma / Getty Images
36. Norway
> Household food wasted annually: 934.4 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 172.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 5,421,242
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Source: HomoCosmicos / Getty Images
37. Pakistan
> Household food wasted annually: 35.2 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 159.2 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 220,892,331
Source: Xantana / Getty Images
38. Poland
> Household food wasted annually: 4.7 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 123.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 37,846,605
Source: Mordolff / Getty Images
39. Russian Federation
> Household food wasted annually: 10.7 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 73.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 145,934,460
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Source: stellalevi / Getty Images
40. Rwanda
> Household food wasted annually: 607.2 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 46.9 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 12,952,209
Source: HansMusa / Getty Images
41. Saudi Arabia
> Household food wasted annually: 792.5 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 22.8 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 34,813,867
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Source: kasto80 / Getty Images
42. Slovenia
> Household food wasted annually: 156.8 million lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 75.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 2,078,932
Source: 4FR / Getty Images
43. South Africa
> Household food wasted annually: 5.1 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 86.6 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 59,308,690
Source: TomasSereda / Getty Images
44. Spain
> Household food wasted annually: 8.0 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 170.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 46,754,783
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Source: mbrand85 / iStock via Getty Images
45. SriLanka
> Household food wasted annually: 3.6 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 166.6 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 21,413,250
Source: scanrail / Getty Images
46. Sweden
> Household food wasted annually: 1.8 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 177.5 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 10,099,270
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Source: IakovKalinin / Getty Images
47. United Kingdom
> Household food wasted annually: 11.5 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 168.9 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 67,886,004
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48. United States of America
> Household food wasted annually: 42.7 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 128.9 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 331,002,647
Source: Chaiyaporn1144 / Getty Images
49. VietNam
> Household food wasted annually: 16.2 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 166.4 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 97,338,583
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Source: Adrian Wojcik / Getty Images
50. Zambia
> Household food wasted annually: 3.1 billion lbs
> Household food wasted annually per person: 166.9 lbs
> Population as of July, 2020: 18,383,956
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