Understanding the Value Chain and the Cost of Inaction
In the UK, food waste is a problem hiding in plain sight. Every year, the UK wastes 10.7 million tonnes of food — that’s a quarter of all food purchased (Wrap, 2023). It’s not just a tragedy for our wallets or for the planet. It’s a problem that touches every stage of our food value chain.
The Scale of Food Waste in the UK
Food waste isn’t just about leftovers at home. It happens everywhere, from fields to factories, shops to supper tables.
- 10.7 million tonnes of food are wasted annually in the UK (WRAP, 2023). That's equivalent in weight to over 90,000 double-decker buses
- The financial cost? An estimated £21.8 billion per year (WRAP, 2023).
- And the environmental cost? Food waste drives up emissions. Producing food that goes uneaten uses precious water, land, and energy — resources our planet can't afford to waste.
The Full Value Chain View
Let’s follow the journey of food across the UK value chain and see where food waste really happens.
1. Primary Production
1.6 million tonnes (15%)
Food is lost before it even leaves the farm. Imperfect produce, overproduction, or market standards mean food doesn't make it past the field. Climate hazards and diseases are other contributors to poor harvests and food waste. (WRAP, 2023).
2. Processing & Manufacturing
1.1 million tonnes (10%)
In factories and warehouses, edible food becomes surplus due to system inefficiencies, equipment failures, or packaging errors. (WRAP, 2023).
3. Retail & Distribution
200,000 tonnes (2%)
Food nearing expiry or damaged in transit can miss store shelves entirely. It's a small percentage, but still significant in volume. (WRAP, 2023).
Why It Matters
- £21.8 billion is lost each year to food waste in the UK alone WRAP, 2023 That’s enough to fundover 600,000 nurses’ salaries
- 60% WRAP, 2023of this waste is entirely avoidable
At Good To Treat, we don’t just see waste. We see potential. With every meal we help save from going to waste, we help people access good food at great value, cut emissions, reduce unnecessary waste, and create value for businesses, consumers and communities alike.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Food waste is often called the world’s dumbest environmental problem. Why? Because it’s entirely solvable.
- 1 kg of food waste = 2.7 kg of CO2e emissions
- If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter after the US and China(FAO, 2016).
- Cutting food waste is the #1 action to limit temperature rise to 2°C by 2100 (Project Drawdown, 2020).
Reducing food waste isn’t just good for the planet. It’s good for people, too.
Fighting Food Waste Together
Good To Treat is a marketplace for surplus food. We connect people with good food that would otherwise go to waste. And it works.
- We’ve helped save over 500 million meals globally
- That’s avoided 1.3 million tonnes of CO2e, 405 billion litres of water, and 1.3 million tonnes of CO2e, 405 billion litres of water, billion m² of land use
- And the environmental cost? Food waste drives up emissions. Producing food that goes uneaten uses precious water, land, and energy — resources our planet can't afford to waste.
We do it through Surprise Bags and simple tools that help our partners manage surplus. From local bakeries to global manufacturers, we help turn potential waste into real value.