Food waste statistics are easy to quote and easy to get wrong. Here are the figures that hold up, with sources: how much food is thrown away, what it costs, and who does most of the throwing.
The global picture: 1.05 billion tonnes
In 2022 the world wasted an estimated 1.05 billion tonnes of food — about 19% of the food available to consumers — according to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, which drew on data from 93 countries. That works out to roughly 79 kg per person every year.
Households are the biggest source
Split by sector, households throw away the most by far: 631 million tonnes (60%), ahead of food service (290 Mt) and retail (131 Mt).
A common mistake to avoid: you may see UNEP's 2021 estimate held up against the 2024 figure as evidence that waste is climbing. UNEP itself warns the two are not comparable because the methodology changed, which is why this article shows no UNEP time series.
What it costs
In the United States, the USDA estimates that 30–40% of the food supply goes to waste (USDA). The bill lands at home: the EPA calculates that a family of four loses about $2,913 a year — roughly $728 per person, or about 11% of a typical food budget (EPA, April 2025).
The UK picture
In the UK, WRAP puts total food waste at about 10.7 million tonnes in 2021, with households responsible for roughly 60% (about 6.4 Mt) — and about 67% of that was edible. The average household throws away around £470 of food a year (WRAP).
Where the biggest share hides
Every source lands on the same conclusion: the largest and most avoidable share of food waste happens in ordinary kitchens, not in shops or restaurants. That is the number a household can actually move, and it is the reason Expiroo exists — a reminder before food goes bad, so less of it reaches the bin.