Every year, Australia grapples with the disheartening fact that a colossal 7.6 million tonnes of food, enough to fill the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground nine times over, goes to waste (*1). This immense wastage carries an astronomical price tag, costing the Australian economy over $36.6 billion annually (*2), a huge financial burden on everyday households, especially in the midst of a cost of living crisis. On average, food waste costs households over $2,500 each year. (*3)

Surprisingly, the environmental toll of this food waste is more substantial than some of the activities often considered as major culprits. Food waste contributes an alarming 8.5% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions (*4), surpassing the combined emissions from flying, plastic production, and oil extraction. If we were to classify global food waste as a nation, it would rank as the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, trailing only behind the United States and China.

Food waste takes a considerable toll on our resources, namely our precious water. To grow food that eventually ends up in landfills, Australia consumes roughly 2,600 gigalitres of water (*5). This is enough water to fill five Sydney Harbours. What’s more, the land allocated for growing food that will never be consumed is more than 25 million hectares: an area larger than the entire United Kingdom. (*6)