International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Observed on 29 September 2026 with Theme on Transformative Potential of Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Key facts

• The seventh observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) falls on 29 September 2026, with the theme 'Transformative Potential of Reducing Food Loss and Waste'.
• The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 74/209 on 19 December 2019, proclaiming 29 September as IDAFLW.
• SDG 12, Target 12.3 aims to halve per capita global food waste at retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030.
• An estimated 13% of food produced is lost globally after harvest before retail, while 19% of food available to consumers (about 1.05 billion tonnes) is wasted, per UNEP 2024 estimates.
• Of food waste reaching the end of the supply chain, 60% occurs at household level, 28% in food service, and 12% at retail (UNEP, 2024).
• Food loss and waste contributes about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (FAOSTAT, 2025).
• Food loss represents an estimated annual loss of US$400 billion in food value (FAO, 2019), and food waste results in more than US$1 trillion worth of food thrown away yearly (UNEP, 2024).
• An estimated one in thirteen people worldwide experienced hunger in 2025 (608–696 million people), and about 2.69 billion people (32.7%) cannot afford a healthy diet (FAO, 2026).
• Food Waste Prevention Week is observed from 28 September to 4 October 2026 with the theme 'Food Heroes in Your Neighborhood'.
• The official hashtag for IDAFLW is #FLWday.