The Country That Wastes The Most Food Actually Isn't The United States

The world throws over one billion tons of food in the trash every single year, according to the United Nations. This translates to one billion edible meals wasted each day. That number is staggering. This is a global problem, and though the United States is often criticized for being a wasteful nation, but it's nowhere near the top when it comes to being most wasteful. Whether you look at overall waste or waste per capita, the U.S. falls short of the record. Those dubious honors go to China and the Maldives, respectively.

Data from World Population Review shows that China wastes 108.6 million tons of food annually. The United States ranks fifth in food waste, discarding nearly 25 million tons annually. With a population of 1.4 billion, China has about four times as many people as the U.S. On a per capita basis, the waste numbers are similar. For China, it is 76 kilograms per person, while in the U.S. it is 73 kilograms. Neither of those numbers is ideal, but they could be a lot worse; they could be the Maldives.

With a population of only 529,000, the Maldives is less populous than Tucson, Arizona. From a waste perspective, this is notable because the country wastes 207 kilograms of food per capita per year. That's over 450 pounds! But how can such a small population cause so much waste?

In the Maldives, the waste issue is more complex than it seems. The country is a string of islands, some of which may have only a single resort on them. Tourism drives their economy; much of this waste is generated by tourists and resort staff as the tourism industry is inherently wasteful. One study from the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency suggests nearly 17% of all waste in the Maldives comes from resorts. Each tourist generates an average of 3.3 kilograms of waste per day, with some research reporting up to 7.2 kilograms. With over two million tourists visiting yearly, you can see how this adds up.

The World Resources Institute reports that 40% of all produce ends up lost or wasted worldwide. Reducing this waste not only saves consumers money, but it can also help end food insecurity. Additionally, food waste contributes to 10% of global emissions, so reducing this waste benefits the climate.

In China, it is customary to serve more food than is needed as a sign of hospitality. For large parties, this can mean over a third of the food served is never eaten. In 2021, China passed an anti-food waste law to curb this habit. Restaurants could levy fees on people who wasted food or face fines for not following the rules. 

The United States may not be at the top of the list per capita, but it's still very high. If you want to do your part, there are ways to help reduce food waste at home, including repurposing some of your kitchen scraps. Every little bit helps!