A third of all food produced annually is thrown away or lost. This amounts to around 1,3 billion ton each year. Annually the average Dutch citizen wastes 50 kilos of food. That's about 110 pounds. This costs each household between 270 and 400 euros. The biggest cause of waste is storing products too long or incorrectly.
In developing countries, 40% of food loss occurs during transportation or processing. 40% of food loss in developed countries is lost at retail and consumer levels.
Sources: Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.
