More than one-third of all food produced globally is wasted. The important point is that when we waste food, we are not wasting only the food itself.
We are also wasting the water, energy, land, labor and natural resources that were required to produce, process, transport, store and prepare that food.
When we waste food, we waste the planet’s resources that went into producing it.
Because food production has a major environmental footprint, wasting food means creating environmental damage that was completely unnecessary.
Start with your own footprint
The best place to begin is your own kitchen. Track expiry dates, cook what you already have, and see your progress over time.
Sources
- Save 1/3 Initiative — saveonethird.org
- WWF Living Planet Report — livingplanet.panda.org (biodiversity and wildlife population statistics)
- Champions 12.3 — The Business Case for Reducing Food Loss and Waste — champions123.org (savings and return-on-investment data)
Sources accessed on 26 August 2026.
Content on this page is based on publicly available information from the WWF Save 1/3 Initiative and has been adapted for educational and awareness purposes. WWF is not affiliated with, responsible for, or associated with this page. No endorsement, sponsorship, partnership, or approval by WWF should be inferred.