In 2021, around 131 kilogrammes (kg) of food per inhabitant were wasted in the EU. In total, the EU produced 58.4 million tonnes of food waste, which includes edible and inedible parts.
Among all economic groups, household waste accounted for most: 54% of the total amount of food waste, the equivalent of 70 kg per inhabitant. The remaining 46% was waste generated upwards in the food supply chain: 21% by the manufacture of food products and beverages group (28 kg), 9% by restaurants and food services (12 kg), 9% in the primary production (11 kg) and 7% in the retail group (9 kg).
This information is part of the first dedicated statistical monitoring of the amount of food waste in the EU by sector of activity according to the NACE rev. 2 classification and by households.
Tackling consumer food waste remains a challenge both in the EU and globally.
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