Food Waste Figures Underestimated - Highlights The Importance of Packaging

The BBC published a recent report conducted by Dutch researchers that noted ‘common estimates for global food waste are too low’, actual figures from the research state that globally each person wastes approximately 500 calories per day. The report goes on to note that without food waste, for every four people fed, five could be fed instead.

This new figure coupled with the international aim to halve food waste by 2030 highlights the important role packaging can play in reducing food waste.

The United Nations has noted that food waste contributes 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions and that if food wastage were a country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.

Food wastage is a global social and environmental issue, within the UK food waste measures a total of 9.5 million tonnes per year. This is not only a waste of precious resources but also accounts for 25million tonnes of Co₂ emissions. To put this into context, this is equivalent to a third of all cars on the road in 2018 or an area larger than Wales.

Packaging itself plays an important role in safeguarding products and reducing food waste in general, whilst itself only contributing a small amount to the total Co₂ impact of the product.

Food is a basic societal need, but wastage can and should be minimised as it accounts for ten times the environmental impact of packaging waste.

Furthermore, plastic packaging can extend the shelf life of food products, an example is it can increase shelf life of cucumbers by 2 weeks and steaks by 10 days. This significant number of days can decrease food waste.

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