People wasting almost 1bn tonnes of food a year, UN report reveals

Food discarded in homes is 74kg per person each year, with problem affecting rich and poor countries

People waste almost a billion tonnes of food a year, a UN report has revealed. It is the most comprehensive assessment to date and found waste was about double the previous best estimate.

The food discarded in homes alone was 74kg per person each year on average around the world, the UN found. In the UK, which has some of the best data, the edible waste represents about eight meals per household each week.