Europe wastes enormous quantities of food while millions of people around the world go hungry.

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have strained supply chains. The cost-of-living crisis has pushed many families to the edge. Without stronger environmental sustainability, supply chain resilience, and household affordability, food security risks will rise significantly.

And yet, households continue to throw away vast amounts of perfectly edible food. This is not just waste. It is lost calories, lost money, and a growing climate problem.

A new analysis by Professor Ian Williams, a professor of applied environmental sciences, finds that European households throw away more than 70 kilograms of food per person every year.

As he writes in an article for The Conversation, calculations based on average food waste figures for the EU and the United Kingdom, combined with current total population data, estimate that 69 million tons of food were wasted across Europe in 2025.

But this is a global problem: worldwide in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, households, retailers, and food service operators wasted 1.052 billion tons.

The European Commission notes that a four-person household could save 400 euros annually on food that ultimately ends up in the trash. But the problem goes beyond money.

The main drivers of food waste are a lack of knowledge and awareness, concerns about the safety of food approaching its expiration date, and the growing tendency to buy convenience foods.

Here is why Europeans waste food and what needs to change.

Shopping: Why We Buy More Than We Eat

Promotions and impulse purchases push people to buy more than they need.

“Buy three for two” and “buy one, get one free” deals nudge shoppers into taking more than necessary. Time pressure and shopping while hungry make things worse. The analysis shows that planning matters: people who check their fridge and shop with a list waste less.

Retail store design plays a key role. Large package sizes and limited small-portion options mean that single-person households end up buying food they cannot consume.

Discounts on products nearing their expiration date can help, but only if shoppers have a plan to use or freeze the food. Retail promotions need to be paired with household tools, not left to chance.

Once food reaches the home, daily management determines whether it gets eaten or thrown out.

Confusion over date labels is a major factor in food waste. Many people treat “best before” as a safety cutoff. They throw food away to avoid the risk of getting sick. That fear overrides the guilt of wasting food. Clearer labeling would quickly reduce discards.

Storage Techniques That Make a Difference

Storage skills matter too.

Freezing, batch cooking, and “first in, first out” routines (using older stock before newer purchases) dramatically reduce spoilage. Frozen food is wasted far less often than fresh. Teaching basic storage and quick preservation techniques is a high-impact, low-cost solution.

Meal planning can be difficult: modern life is busy. People eat on the go and many rely on ready-made meals.

This convenience culture drives up waste. Social norms also push toward buying too much. Hospitality and the desire to offer variety lead households to cook more than necessary.

In some cultures, abundance signals care, and that means more food left on plates.

Income alone does not explain the pattern. No simple relationship was found between national GDP and household food waste. Wealthier countries may waste less, but the link is inconsistent and shaped by local habits, tourism, and measurement methods. The real drivers are behavioral and context-dependent.

Supermarkets and Retail

Beyond household waste, a significant part of the problem lies in supermarkets and food businesses, where large quantities of perfectly safe and edible products are discarded or destroyed daily.

Organized programs that redirect unsold products to homeless people and vulnerable groups can play a meaningful role in reducing waste.

France offers a notable example: legislation was passed requiring supermarkets to donate safe but unsold food rather than destroy it. The law removes some of the legal liability stores face in case of complaints, in order to encourage food donations to social services, charities, and food banks.

Businesses are also prohibited from deliberately destroying food that is still fit for consumption. The law also includes educational programs on food waste in schools and businesses. Policies like these can reduce waste, support people facing food insecurity, and strengthen social solidarity.

However, many point out that the long-term solution should not rely solely on charity, but on creating conditions in which all citizens can afford access to quality food with dignity.

Next Steps

The study identifies three clear ways to strengthen policy and build food supply chain resilience through waste reduction.

First, fix the messaging. Standardize date labels and launch a public awareness campaign. When people understand the difference between quality and safety, they throw away less food.

Second, change retail practices. Encourage smaller package sizes, resealable formats, and promotional messaging that prompts consumers to freeze items for later use. Push supermarkets to sell imperfect produce and clearly price products nearing expiration to encourage purchase.

Third, directly support households. Fund community cooking classes, fridge management campaigns, and simple digital tools that help people track what they have at home. Invest in curbside food collection and composting infrastructure, so unavoidable waste stays out of landfills.

No single policy will solve household food waste on its own.

Interventions must combine retail reform, clear regulation, and consumer support, writes Williams.

They need to be tailored to local cultures and household types, and designed to strengthen food security.

We can quickly cut household food waste by promoting clear labeling, smarter shopping, and better storage. Small changes at home lead to big savings for the planet and for the family budget.

The next step is straightforward: design policies that work for people where they live, shop, and cook. This not only reduces food waste; it also saves money, cuts emissions, and preserves dignity by allowing people to access food without shame, judgment, or reliance on charitable food programs.

All of this strengthens our food security.

The solutions are practical, affordable, and ready to scale.

There is no time to waste.