Marked variation in the amount and quality of food waste data across EU Member States

On 25 September 2025, the WASTEWISE partner Marita Kettunen, from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), presented the review conducted to assess the quantification of food waste that EU Member States report to Eurostat. A combined review of scientific literature, non-scientific national reports, fact sheets and other reports, and grey literature publications provided insights about the food waste quantification and the methodologies used by different countries in their national reporting.

With the final aim of monitoring progress and designing effective strategies for the mitigation of environmental impacts derived from food waste, it is mandatory for European Member States to report accurate and transparent quantification of the food waste they generate. However, the WASTEWISE review revealed significant variation in both the methods and quality of food waste quantification among EU Member States. These discrepancies affect the comparability and reliability of the data reported. Moreover, the analysis highlighted substantial disparities in the number and type of research conducted in the different countries as well, which affect the granularity and usability of the information.