In 2024, food waste is growing, the cause is also the poor quality of the food purchased

Data on food waste from the Waste Watcher report with the focus on Italy and a comparison between the G7 countries.

• Every Italian wastes on average almost 50 percent more food than last year.
• Fruit and vegetables are the foods that are thrown away the most, also because they are purchased of poor quality.
• A comparison between G7 countries on anti-waste practices can help combat the global emergency.

In 2024 it food waste in Italy grows almost by 45.6 percent:according to the data of Waste Watcher International Report 2024 “Food waste in the G7 countries:from analysis to action”, in the homes of Italians every week 683.3 grams of food per capita are thrown away, compared to 469.4 grams detected in August 2023.

The report was presented on the occasion of the fifth World Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day on 29 September.The most wasted foods are fresh fruit (27.1g), vegetables (24.6g), fresh bread (24.1g), salads (22.3g), onions/garlic/tubers (20g).As regards national geography, it emerges that the South and the Center are the areas where waste is greatest with a +9 percent compared to the national average (in the south 747 g per capita per week, in the center 744 g per capita), while the North is relatively more virtuous with -11 percent compared to the national average (606.9 g per capita). Families without children waste the most (+6 percent) compared to those with children (-17 percent) and i medium-large municipalities compared to the little ones.

The causes of food waste:from personal behaviors to the poor quality of food

The causes of waste are multiple.Some concern the behavior of individual consumers:more than a third of Italians (37 percent) forget the food in the fridge and pantry by letting them deteriorate, 32 percent fear not having enough food at home and, again 32 percent, leave tempted by the offers of large-scale distribution;furthermore, only 23 percent are willing to plan weekly meals and 75 percent are unwilling or unable to rework leftovers creatively to avoid throwing them away.

Other causes of food waste can be attributed to poor quality of fruit and vegetables, increasingly influenced by logic low cost:42 percent of those interviewed identify the cause of waste in the fact of having to throw away fruit and vegetables stored in cold storage because once brought home it deteriorates quickly, while 37 percent say they throw away food because food is sold already spoiled.Hence 46 percent think that it is important to reduce waste buy seasonal vegetables and fruit, while for 39 percent it is good practice buy fresh products several times a week.  

“In Italy the increase in food waste at a domestic level is worrying” he explains Andrea Segrè, scientific director Waste Watcher International – Zero Waste Campaign, University of Bologna.“Not only for the percentage increase compared to the similar WWI survey in 2023, but above all for the causes that determined it, such as a reduction in the quality of the products purchased.Italians still have little awareness of how to best use the foods available, from conservation to purchasing planning, demonstrating once again the need to intervene at an institutional level on food education".

Italians show a marked willingness to adopt anti-waste behaviors, with 87 percent willing to freeze foods and 86 percent a use food that has just expired if it is still good.However, the willingness to donate excess cooked food (63 percent) and to purchase large quantities of food to freeze (62 percent) is lower, suggesting that work could be done to break down the factors that limit the adoption of these practices. Only 29 percent save leftover food by looking for creative recipes to reuse it, indicating a potential area for improvement in leftover management, working on culinary skills or time management to experiment in the kitchen.

Good practices against waste:the comparison between the G7 countries

Looking forward to the next one G7 Agriculture that will be held in Syracuse from 26 to 28 September, the study developed a focus on member countries, with the aim of compare good practices and share mutual experiences for the prevention of food waste.If 82 percent of Americans declares to keep the pantry, refrigerator and freezer well organized and to make a shopping list, in Japan fruit and vegetable waste is low because the cost of food is high.THE French show particular attention to consuming all cooked food, even when it is too much (87 percent) and to eating all leftovers (88 percent);Furthermore, various institutional initiatives, such as the Garot law of 2016 which banned supermarkets from destroying unsold food, By significantly increasing food donations, they have contributed to reducing waste.

The United Kingdom it is historically one of the countries where private and public attention towards the problem of food waste is greatest:over 45 percent of English families use the shopping list as a purchasing strategy, showing a propensity for planning;agreements involving the players in the agri-food chain are promoted and investments are made in food education.In Germany, families reduce waste by organizing the pantry and freezer (79 percent), knowing exactly what is in the pantry (83 percent) and carefully evaluating how much to cook (78 percent).

The Canada, since 2021, has been committed to preventing food waste, for example with the implementation of a national strategy on this issue, with funding for innovations and tax incentives that have increased donations of surplus food.Furthermore, many organizations have taken steps to work with producers and distributors to limit production excesses and with consumers to promote food education initiatives aimed at stimulating better planning and facilitating understanding of front-of-package labels.

And Italians, in which anti-waste strategies are they most virtuous? In our country, 59 percent of those interviewed consume food nearing its expiry date and 55 percent resort to freezing to extend its life.Finally, Italians have a strong tendency towards planning with 43 percent of respondents making a shopping list.