NAIROBI / RankWire.AI / – Governments, businesses and households can cut food waste through better storage, smarter purchasing and more accurate tracking, according to United Nations data. The UN Environment Programme estimates that households waste more than one billion meals every day worldwide. Food loss and waste also carry an economic cost exceeding $1 trillion each year. The figures underline the scale of a problem that affects food security, natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.
Food disappears at several stages before and after reaching consumers. The Food and Agriculture Organization says 13.4% of global food production is lost between harvest and retail. A further 19% of food available to consumers goes to waste in homes, restaurants and stores. UNEP estimated consumer-level food waste at 1.05 billion tonnes in 2022. Households accounted for about 60% of that total, with food services and retailers making up the rest.
The environmental impact extends beyond discarded meals. Food loss and waste contribute about 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste also produces methane when organic material breaks down without proper recovery or treatment. UNEP programme manager Michael Muratha has highlighted storage, transport and cold-chain improvements as practical measures. Redistribution programmes can also move safe surplus food to people instead of sending it to disposal sites.
Technology expands food waste tracking
Hotels in the United Arab Emirates have tested artificial intelligence as another tool for reducing waste. A project involving Hilton, Winnow, UNEP West Asia and the national Ne’ma initiative covered 13 hotels. Teams measured breakfast waste and used data to adjust kitchen production, buffet planning and portions. Winnow reported a 62% overall reduction in breakfast food waste during the four-month programme. The figure covered both kitchen and plate waste across the participating properties.
The project recorded a 76% drop in pre-consumer waste and a 55% decline in post-consumer waste. Kitchen teams used digital tracking systems to identify which foods were being prepared or served in excess. The data helped staff change purchasing, preparation and service practices based on measured waste. UNEP has also promoted simpler approaches that do not require advanced technology. Community programmes can encourage better meal planning, food storage and use of ingredients that often go unused.
Global goal targets waste reduction by 2030
International efforts are tied to a 2030 target for cutting food waste. UNEP and its partners launched the Food Waste Breakthrough at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. The initiative seeks a 50% reduction in global food waste by 2030. It also targets reductions of up to 7% in methane emissions linked to discarded food. The Global Environment Facility committed $3 million to the initiative when it launched at the climate conference.
The target supports Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which calls for halving per-capita food waste at retail and consumer levels. It also calls for lower food losses across production and supply chains. FAO continues to track losses before food reaches stores, while UNEP measures waste closer to consumers. Together, the figures show that significant amounts of food still leave the system at every stage. Storage, measurement, redistribution and better planning remain established tools for reducing those losses.