Volume of food loss and waste

The entire food chain generates more than 600 million kg in food loss and waste. Food waste accounts for almost 400 million kg.

Food loss and waste means food originally intended for human consumption and inedible parts of food that are not used for human consumption or as feed or other valuable fractions that end up as waste. Inedible parts of food include fruit peels, bones and used coffee grounds. Originally edible food discarded as waste is called food waste.

In the EU, households generated the majority, or roughly 54%, of all food loss and waste in 2022. In Finland, households accounted for roughly 50% and the food industry for 23% of food loss and waste.  Food services (13%), retail and wholesale (9%), and primary production (5%) combined made up almost a third. The EU and its Member States are committed to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of halving the amount of food waste generated at the retail and consumer level by 2030.

The European Commission has set obligations for the assessment and reporting of food loss and waste. Its delegated decision (2019/1597) entered into force in the spring of 2019, requiring the Member States to monitor food loss and waste. In Finland, Luke is responsible for data collection and reporting.

This indicator measures the evolution of food loss and food waste volumes.

The indicator will next be updated in autumn 2025.