Building Sustainable Cities: Strategies for Food Waste Reduction

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Worldwide, about 58 percent of the population lives in cities as of 2025, and this figure is expected to rise to 68 percent by 2050 due to rapid urbanisation, demographic shifts and growing population. This transformation poses a challenge given the rising food demand, resource constraints on land and disruption caused to agricultural practices. The most crucial challenge is food waste, with cities emerging as the largest contributors to global food waste. According to the Food Waste Index Report 2024, food worth US$1 trillion is wasted every year, which can feed about 783 million people affected by hunger. 

Studying the 2022 estimates of global food waste, it emerges that households contribute to 79 percent of the issue at hand, followed by 36 percent by the food service sector and 17 percent by the retail sector. Other than that, about 13.2 percent of food waste occurs within the supply chain - from post-harvest to retail.

Studying the 2022 estimates of global food waste, it emerges that households contribute to 79 percent of the issue at hand, followed by 36 percent by the food service sector and 17 percent by the retail sector. Other than that, about 13.2 percent of food waste occurs within the supply chain - from post-harvest to retail. The figure below indicates the various drivers of food waste across the supply chain. Urban food waste represents a triple threat, exacerbating environmental degradation, food insecurity and undermining SDG progress on food loss and waste reduction. The target is to halve the global food waste at the consumer and retail levels and significantly reduce food loss along the supply chain by 2030. Food waste accounts for 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the loss of biodiversity - using up to one-third of agricultural land and 24 percent of fresh water resources.

Source: World Resources Institute

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, “if food waste were a country, it would be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China.” Landfilled food waste produces methane, a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years. Globally, food waste costs the economy over $1 trillion annually. Reducing food waste eases the pressure on ecosystems, conserves biodiversity, and reduces the overexploitation of arable land and freshwater resources that are increasingly under stress due to urban expansion. The significant amount of food that is wasted represents an economic loss and is harmful to the environment. Reducing waste, recycling, and resource utilisation ensure responsible consumption and sustainable nutrition. 

Preventing food waste at the source benefits economies, businesses, consumers, human health and the environment. It has been estimated that a worldwide reduction of 25-30 percent in food waste by 2030 can save 120-300 billion dollars per year. Translating this for the largest economies would mean saving 870$ to 1800$ each year for a family living in the UK & the US, respectively. When it comes to food waste, the high, middle and lower income countries differ only by 7kg/capita/year of household food waste. Japan and the UK have demonstrated collaborative efforts to reduce food waste by 18 and 31 percent, respectively. A recent report on food waste deterrence in South Korea, France and Peru found them to be effective in reducing the amount of food waste sent to landfills. South Korea followed a stringent food waste law nicknamed ‘PAYT’, which follows a pay-as-you-throw system. France was the first country to ban supermarkets from throwing surplus food, redistributing it to poor communities instead. As a result, a 24 percent increase was observed from 2016 to 2019 in the donation of surplus food by supermarkets, with the quality of food donated also increasing. Peru, on the other hand, has enacted a food donation policy to address food insecurity and control food waste. India enacted ‘The Compulsory Food Waste Reduction’ bill in 2018, intending to reduce the wastage of food and beverage after processing and packaging, and committing to reduce food waste by 30 percent by 2025. 

Preventing food waste at the source benefits economies, businesses, consumers, human health and the environment. It has been estimated that a worldwide reduction of 25-30 percent in food waste by 2030 can save 120-300 billion dollars per year. Translating this for the largest economies would mean saving 870$ to 1800$ each year for a family living in the UK & the US, respectively.

A 2021 report by UNEP suggests the use of green and digital technologies to reduce consumer-level food waste. Smartphone apps aimed at preventing household food waste—along with food sharing, redistribution, and reuse initiatives—are gaining traction globally. For example, Too Good To Go operates across several European countries to collect leftover food or unsold meals from restaurants. Similarly, the 'food bank' model sources surplus food from various contributors for redistribution. In India, initiatives like No Food Waste work to provide excess food to those in need. Other efforts such as Roti Bank and community fridges across the country also contribute to the fight against hunger and the reduction of food waste. A longitudinal study on the use of mobile applications for food sharing, redistribution and food waste reduction highlights community building and behaviour change towards food wastage as key findings. A 2020 study titled ‘Urban Waste: A Framework to Analyse Policies and Initiatives’, spanning 40 cities in 16 European countries, identifies Cities as central actors in food waste reduction and highlights their role in achieving the 2030 agenda. 

Moving forward, building sustainable cities needs to be remodelled as a shared responsibility. Food waste is a social, environmental and moral issue where each stakeholder needs to contribute. The strategy for reducing food waste needs to include multi-level policy and governance measures, technology solutions, educational and behavioural change, and monitoring to evaluate progress. The C40 Good Food Cities Declaration commits to a sustainable food system by 2030 through “reducing food loss and waste by 50% from a 2015 baseline.” Urban food waste reduction is thus not only achievable but also essential for building sustainable and inclusive cities.

Shoba Suri is a Senior Fellow with the Health Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation.

• Climate, Food and Environment
• Sustainable Development
• Climate Change
• India
• Benefits of Reducing Food Waste
• Food Waste Reduction
• Food Waste Reduction Strategy
• Food waste reduction theme
• Global Food Waste Reduction
• No Food Waste
• Preventing food waste
• Reducing Food Waste
• Waste Reduction Policies

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