The Scale of a National Problem

WRAP’s July 2025 UK summary estimates 10.2 million tonnes of food waste across households, farms and the supply chain. It combines sector estimates from different years; it is not measured waste for 2025 or 2026. Household waste alone was estimated at 6.0 million tonnes in 2022.

Of that household total, 4.4 million tonnes, or 73%, was food that could have been eaten. WRAP valued this edible household waste at around £17 billion in 2022, averaging £620 per household at 2022 prices.

WRAP estimates 16 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions associated with UK household food waste in 2022, including production and supply-chain impacts. Reviewed 15 October 2026; the reference years and waste definitions below are explicit.

Key Facts & Figures (Overview)

  • 10.2 million tonnes: WRAP’s combined UK estimate, published July 2025, using mixed sector years.
  • 73% of household food waste in 2022 was edible; this share does not apply to all national waste.
  • £620 average annual edible food waste cost per household, at 2022 prices.
  • £17 billion value of edible UK household food waste in 2022.
  • 6.0 million tonnes of UK household food waste in 2022, including inedible parts.
  • Fresh vegetables and salads made up 28% of edible household waste by weight in 2022.
  • Bakery products made up 11% of edible household waste by weight in 2022.
  • Hospitality and food service generated about 1.1 million tonnes in WRAP’s 2021 estimate.
  • UK retail food waste was estimated at 234,000 tonnes in 2021.
  • Household food waste was associated with 16 million tonnes CO₂-equivalent in 2022.
  • WRAP’s participating redistributors received 191,000 tonnes of surplus food in 2023.
  • Total food waste includes inedible parts; edible waste and redistributed surplus are different measures.
  • England’s workplace food-waste separation rules began on 31 March 2025, with a later deadline for micro-firms.
  • The UK Food and Drink Pact aims to halve post-farm-gate food waste per person by 2030 against 2007.

Where Does Food Waste Come From?

WRAP’s summary combines household data from 2022, supply-chain estimates mainly from 2021 and an on-farm estimate. Sector totals should be read with those dates and methods.

Households (6.0 Million Tonnes in 2022)

Households account for about 58% of the combined estimate. Their 6.0 million tonnes includes edible food and inedible parts, and includes disposal routes such as sewers and home composting.

Hospitality and Food Service (1.1 Million Tonnes in 2021)

WRAP’s model estimates around 1.1 million tonnes from hospitality and food service in 2021, including around 800,000 tonnes of edible food. Businesses can distinguish preparation, spoilage and plate waste when deciding how to reduce it.

Retail (234,000 Tonnes in 2021)

The retail estimate covers more than supermarkets alone. Surplus-food redistribution is measured separately across several supplying sectors, so the redistribution total cannot be presented as a donation percentage for all retail waste.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing contributed around 1.4 million tonnes in WRAP’s 2021 estimate. The summary also includes a central on-farm estimate of 1.6 million tonnes, with substantial uncertainty. Rounded components may not add exactly to the rounded total.

Food Waste and the Environment

Food waste has impacts from growing, processing, storing and transporting food as well as its disposal. WRAP’s household emissions estimate includes those wider stages. Preventing edible waste and redistributing safe surplus are higher priorities than recycling material after it becomes waste.

What Food Businesses Can Do

  • Rotate stock using dates and storage instructions, prioritising items that will reach their use-by date first.
  • Use menu engineering to feature less popular items and reduce overproduction of certain dishes
  • Refine portioning standards to match actual customer demand and reduce plate waste
  • Develop strong relationships with suppliers to negotiate flexible delivery schedules that better match business needs
  • Partner with food redistribution organisations to donate safe, surplus food to food banks and charities

Use-by dates concern safety: do not eat food after that date, even if it looks or smells normal. Best-before dates concern quality. Follow storage instructions and freeze suitable surplus before its use-by date. In England, workplace separation rules began in March 2025; businesses with fewer than 10 full-time-equivalent employees have until March 2027. Household collection arrangements have separate rules.

Written by Food Safety Experts

This article was written by the team at Level 2 Food Hygiene, specialists in food safety training and compliance.

Sources & References

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Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about food safety, food hygiene and accredited online training for Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate, part of Online CPD Academy.