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Is the food industry being unfairly criticized for emissions due to consumer food waste?

Is the food industry being unfairly criticized for emissions due to consumer food waste? consumer, emissions, food waste, industry, unfair rap Food and Beverage Business

According to recent statistics, about one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted annually, making food waste the third-largest emitter of harmful greenhouse gases in the world. A new estimate suggests that around half of all emissions from the global food system come from food loss and waste, with over 35% of those emissions resulting from food discarded by consumers. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for individuals to adopt measures that reduce food loss and waste in their homes.

A study published in Nature Food analyzed data from 54 food commodities and 164 countries and regions, revealing that global emissions from food wastage in 2017 totaled 9.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, over double the previous estimates. Food wastage comprises both food loss and food waste, with food discarded by consumers accounting for over 35% of all emissions from food wastage, more than that from wholesalers, retailers, and traders combined.

Although consumer food waste is more prevalent in the US and China, where one-third of emissions caused by food waste from consumers are comparable to the GHG emissions generated throughout the global processing and transport stages, the issue is also a significant problem in high-income Western countries. In the UK alone, almost half of parents confess to throwing away edible food due to reasons like buying too much food, not knowing what to do with leftovers, or keeping packets open for too long.

The authors of the Nature Food study suggest that while food loss emissions tend to be lower in high-income countries due to increased access to advanced and environment-friendly waste treatment technologies, reducing food waste and promoting plant-based diets should be a priority in these countries. In contrast, low-income countries should focus on avoiding food loss from production and implementing proper waste treatment using appropriate technologies.

The study’s authors recommend strategies that include halving meat consumption, deploying technological advances to reduce emissions, composting, and anaerobic digestion to address the issue of food waste. However, the resolution of this problem also requires consumers to make rational food choices, including being aware of the environmental costs of food and avoiding hoarding and over-consumption.

While no perfect solution exists for this complex problem, solutions like fining supermarkets and restaurants for food waste have been proposed and could potentially extend to consumers. It is essential to understand and address the full extent of the food waste problem to find a practical solution.

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