On the occasion of the International Day against Food Loss and Waste, which took place on 29 September, Eurostat published the results of the EU-wide food waste survey for the year 2022.
In 2022, the EU will have produced a total of 59.2 million tonnes of food waste, which means 132 kg of food waste per person. The sources of food waste are distributed as follows:
- Households: 54% (72 kg per person)
- Food and beverage production: 19% (25 kg per capita)
- Restaurants and catering: 11% (15 kg per person)
- Retail trade and other food distribution: 8% (11 kg per head)
- Primary production: 8% (10 kg per head)
The results are similar to the surveys of previous years (2020, 2021). Food waste increased slightly compared to 2021, from 131 kg to 132 kg.
The Waste Framework Directive (WFD), revised in 2018, requires Member States to develop food waste prevention programmes. The aim is to reduce food waste at all stages of the supply chain, monitor waste levels and report on progress. To this end, the Commission adopted in 2019 a common food waste measurement methodology, which will provide the basis for EU-wide food waste monitoring (FoodServiceEurope).