Guide
Food waste in grocery retail
How much food is wasted, where it happens, and what that means for grocery stores.
Key published figures
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Food wasted globally (2022) | About 1.05 billion tonnes | UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 |
| Food wasted per person per year | 132 kg | UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 |
| Share of food available to consumers that is wasted | Almost one fifth | UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 |
| Split of food waste | Households 60%, food service 28%, retail 12% | UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 |
| Share of global GHG emissions from food loss and waste | 8–10% | UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 |
| Average food waste reduction per store in two AI ordering pilots | 14.8% | Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment case study, 2022 |
Sources: UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024; PCFWC, Using Artificial Intelligence to Reduce Food Waste in Grocery Retail (2022). The pilot figure refers to third-party tools, not Chopp.
Why retail matters beyond its share
Retail accounts for a smaller share of food waste than households, but it is concentrated in a relatively small number of businesses that measure what they sell and throw away. Ordering decisions in stores also shape what reaches households. That makes retail one of the most tractable places to act.
Ready to cut away the waste?
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