Data on Food Waste by Country (2023)

Countries with the most food waste per year

15 countries that waste the most amount of food per year

1. China - 91.6 million tonnes

2. India - 68.8 million tonnes

3. United States - 19.4 million tonnes

4. Indonesia - 20.9 million tonnes

5. Brazil - 12.6 million tonnes

6. Mexico - 12 million tonnes

7. Philippines - 9.3 million tonnes

8. Egypt - 9.1 million tonnes

9. DR Congo - 8.9 million tonnes

10. Japan - 8.2 million tonnes

11. Turkey - 7.8 million tonnes

12. Germany - 6.3 million tonnes

13. Iran - 5.9 million tonnes

14. Thailand - 5.5 million tonnes

15. Russia - 4.9 million tonnes

Greenlyworld Production

Left: Population by country (mio), middle: Country right: Food waste pr year (mio.ton)

China who ranks nr 1 in Food Waste Per Year is also the most populated country as the data indicates.

Countries with the least food waste per year

1. Liechtenstein - 2.7 k tonnes

2. Monaco - 2.8 k tonnes

3. San Marino - 2.9 k tonnes

4. Gibraltar - 2.8 k tonnes

5. Belize - 20.6 k tonnes

6. Cape Verde - 54.8 k tonnes

7. Sao Tome and Principe - 21.4 k tonnes

8. Comoros - 84.7 k tonnes

9. Central African Republic - 487.3 k tonnes

10. Gambia - 241.1 k tonnes

11. Eritrea - 359.1 k tonnes

12. Liberia - 507 k tonnes

13. Burundi - 1,184.1 k tonnes

14. Togo - 830 k tonnes

15. Sierra Leone - 802.4 k tonnes

Greenly World Copyright

Left: Population by country (mio), middle: Country right: Food waste pr year (k.tonnes)

The country with the least food waste in relation to population size is Lichenstein with only 2.7 k (2700) tonnes per year, and has a population size of ca 39 000 inhabitants.

Countries with the most food waste (kg per capita per year)

1. Here is the list of the 15 countries with the most food waste kg per capita per year reported:

   1. Nigeria - 189kg per capita

   2. Rwanda - 164kg per capita

   3. Greece - 142kg per capita

   4. Bahrain - 132kg per capita

   5. Malta - 129kg per capita

   6. Iraq - 120kg per capita

   7. Tanzania - 119kg per capita

   8. Saudi Arabia - 105kg per capita

   9. Lebanon - 105kg per capita

   10. Yemen - 104kg per capita

   11. Syria - 104kg per capita

   12. DR Congo - 103kg per capita

   13. Uganda - 103kg per capita

   14. Mozambique - 103kg per capita

   15. Madagascar - 103kg per capita

Nigeria tops the list for the country with the most food waste per capita (kg per person) per year. Countries mainly listed are not the biggest in population size, nor are they in the top of GDP countries, and mostly considered developing countries (for now). DR Congo is the only country with a significantly higher population size (top 15 countries with the most food waste pr year) than the other countries in this list.

Conclusion

There seems to a direct correlation between a country's population size and the amount of food waste produced each year by a nation.

• Total annual food waste amounts tend to correlate more with country population size, as larger, more populous nations generate higher absolute volumes of waste.

• However, when looking at per capita food waste (kg per person), country size alone does not determine levels. Other factors are more influential.

In addition, there does seem to be an inconsistency with the general assumption that wealthier nations have higher per capita waste levels. Some possible explanations for the higher rates in those top countries listed could include:

• Food supply chain inefficiencies - Countries like Nigeria, Rwanda, Iraq have developing agricultural and distribution systems which contribute to losses.

• Subsistence farming practices - More traditional, small-scale growers in places like Tanzania and Yemen may discard more due to lack of technologies/processes for proper storage and prevention of spoilage.

• Cultural preferences - Certain Middle Eastern, Mediterranean diets centered around abundance could lead to wastage (ex: Greece, Bahrain).

• Data limitations - Some numbers could over-represent waste depending on methodologies and how disposal is specifically defined/measured in national statistics.

In essence, total waste rankings primarily reflect population size, while per capita numbers provide useful insights into consumption habits independent of sheer numbers of people. Both perspectives are needed for a full picture. So in summary, while developed world affluence usually enables higher per capita waste, exceptions exist and both economic development levels as well as localized social/agricultural conditions shape international differences observed. Reducing food waste enables an emphasis on circular economy and sustainable lifestyle, for more reading view here

Sources:
UNEP Food Waste Index Report - UNEP (United Natons Environment Programme)

Countries with the least food waste (kg per capita per year)

1. Russia - 33 kg per capita

2. Slovenia - 34 kg per capita

3. Austria - 39 kg per capita

4. South Africa - 40 kg per capita

5. India - 50 kg per capita

6. Netherlands - 50 kg per capita

7. Belgium - 50 kg per capita

8. Belize - 53 kg per capita

9. Ireland - 55 kg per capita

10. Poland - 56 kg per capita

11. United States - 59 kg per capita

12. Brazil - 60 kg per capita

13. New Zealand - 61 kg per capita

14. China - 64 kg per capita

15. Japan - 64 kg per capita

Russia is the country with the least food waste (kg per capita per year). Interestingly, the biggest countries in population size are listed in this category (India, United States, China), indicating that there is not a direct correlation between population size and the amount of food wasted per person. In addition, most countries listed here are mostly wealthier countries with higher GDP, but not all.

We've looked at the data and analysed which countries produce the most food waste and the least food waste, and have observed some interesing findings.
NB: data on population size may vary from source to source and the numbers are based on rough estimates

Table of contents
Countries with the most food waste per year
Countries with the least food waste per year
Countries with the most food waste (kg per capita per year)
Countries with the least food waste (kg per capita per year)
Conclusion

FAQ on Food Waste:

Q:What country wastes the most food waste per year?
A: China due to its large population
Q: What country wastes the least food?
A: Lichenstein, population size is one of the smallest in the world

Q: How much food is wasted globally each year?
A: It's estimated that about 1/3 of all food produced worldwide gets lost or wasted, amounting to over 1.3 billion tons annually. This massive level of food that ends up not being consumed contributes to environmental impacts, economic losses, and hunger. Up to 10 % of GHG emissions stems from food that is produced and not eaten or wasted.

Q: How much food is wasted in Europe?
A: European countries waste around 88 million tons of food each year, which is about 20% of the total food production across Europe. The EU estimates that European households alone throw away almost 6 million tons of edible food waste annually. France, Germany, and the UK generate the highest volumes of domestic food waste.

Q: What are some of the main causes of food waste?

A: Major causes include overpurchasing by consumers, strict sell-by dates that throw away still edible food, crop imperfections rejected by retailers, inefficient distribution systems in developing countries, and lack of coordination between farmers and buyers. Portion sizes, confusion around date labels, and disconnects all along the supply chain also drive unnecessary waste.

Q: What are some ways to reduce food waste?

A: Effective strategies include optimizing portion sizes in restaurants, diverting inedible food scraps to anaerobic digestion or composting, donating extra edible food to hunger relief groups, improving crop handling and cold chain infrastructure, educating consumers about proper storage and date labels, and finding industrial uses for byproducts and peelings. Coordination among producers, retailers and consumers is key to lowering waste.

Q: What are some popular food waste tracking apps available?

A: A few leading food waste tracking apps currently on the market include:

• Love Food Hate Waste (Android/iOS) - Produced by the UK government to help households reduce waste through meal planning and storing tips. Can also report types/amounts of food thrown out.

• FoodKeeper (Android/iOS) - Developed by the US Food & Drug Administration to help identify when perishable foods should be consumed or frozen by using its extensive date-based food storage database.

• FoodRescue (Android/iOS) - Connects surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants to non-profits so it gets donated instead of going to waste. Over 1,000 organizations use it.

• Wasteless (Android/iOS) - Lets users log all wasted food items to see impact. Partnered with over 1 billion pounds of food rescued so far from over 1,000 businesses.

• GreenPal (Android/iOS) - Offers customers discounted composting services while partnered restaurants/stores get their food scraps picked up for free.

• Toogoodtogo - Offers high quality discounts for customers on various restaurents and stores and demonstrates/ maps near by stores for customers