Food waste’s climate impact might be bigger than you think
We know that food waste is a huge emitter of CO2. The annual carbon footprint of food waste and loss is 3.3 billion tonnes. And much of the world’s food waste comes from our own kitchens, with households generating 61% of food waste in 2019. That’s why many are taking steps to waste less food. But when it comes to bread, most of us are unwilling to compromise. Date marks don’t matter; bread has to smell, feel and taste fresh. In our study of international consumers more than 20% of people said that when bread becomes dry they throw it away. The crop production, processing, packaging and transport related to bread that’s ultimately wasted are all contributors to climate change. So bread is a significant contributor to the carbon footprint of food waste.