Food waste: causes, impact and solutions

Causes of food waste

Production and processing

Losses occur in the first links of the chain due to surpluses, inefficient harvesting and strict quality selection. Products that are safe and nutritious are often rejected because of appearance or size.

Distribution and storage

During transportation and storage, temperature control is critical. When the cold chain is interrupted, microbial growth accelerates and quality declines faster than expected. Inventory management also plays a role: FIFO leads to late delivery of products with shorter remaining shelf lives.

Retail and consumer

In retail, much is wasted due to full shelves and incorrect order quantities. Consumers often confuse “use by” with “best before,” causing products to be discarded too early.

Impact of food waste

Food waste has multiple dimensions. Economically, it leads to direct losses for businesses along the chain. According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, nearly a fifth of available food is lost worldwide, accounting for over a billion tons per year. Ecologically, the impact is even greater: waste contributes 8-10 percent of global carbon emissions. It also involves unnecessary use of water, energy and farmland.

Strategies and solutions

Monitoring and chain profiling

Companies can reduce waste by mapping realistic time-temperature profiles. Data loggers and time-temperature indicators reveal anomalies so that targeted improvements can be made.

Predictive microbiology

With models such as
ComBase
and
FSSP
can align shelf life dates with actual conditions. This predictive approach prevents unnecessary early rejection of products and supports QHSE processes.

Operational measures

• Application of
  FEFO
  instead of FIFO.
• Reduce lead times through
  cross-docking
  .
• Use of
  Mean Kinetic Temperature (MKT)
  as a KPI for batch and lane performance.
• Implement donation and redistribution protocols to utilize surpluses.

Retail and consumer

Dynamic pricing strategies and smaller package sizes can reduce waste. In addition, clear communication about date labels remains essential to avoid misunderstandings.

Conclusion core

Food waste results from a combination of production deviations, poor cold chain control and consumer behavior. By integrating monitoring, predictive models and operational discipline into the supply chain, supply chain managers and QHSE leaders can substantially reduce waste.