Approximately 35% of food produced in Israel is lost or wasted during the production, distribution and consumption stages, totaling approximately 2.5 million tons annually. The direct cost of the food waste is NIS 20.3 billion, equivalent to 1.5% of the GNP. When taking into account the cost of GHG and air pollutant emissions resulting from food waste, the total cost of this waste amounts to approximately NIS 22 billion, while about half is rescuable and fit for human consumption.
The value of rescuable food is approximately NIS 7.1 billion, with the value of the loss increasing at each stage along the length of the value chain, as more resources have been invested in raising, producing, packaging and transporting the food that is then wasted. Most of the value of food waste is concentrated in the retail and distribution sector, because the food lost during these stages is ready for marketing and consumption, meaning that it is being discarded before reaching the final consumer.
According to our estimate, roughly 50% of food waste is rescuable and can, given economic viability and appropriate resources, be used to feed needy populations suffering from food insecurity. Furthermore, rescuing 50% of currently wasted food would save the Israeli economy approximately 200 million cubic meters of water, production of over 600 million kWh, 35,000 tons of fuel, and significant land resources.
Food waste during household consumption was not classified as rescuable. There are various approaches to the issue of food waste in household consumption. Western culture is based on a notion of consumerism and prosperity, in which consumers extract benefit and enjoyment, not only from food consumption, but also from having a range of selections and even excess. Economically, as long as consumers pay the full amount for purchased products, there is no justification for restricting consumption. The problem is that food production entails the use of natural resources and has an environmental impact, and these external costs are not calculated in the price paid by consumers for food. We did not examine these aspects, however, these circumstances might justify actions to encourage food rescue and recovery — perhaps with government-sponsored public relations campaigns, as has been implemented in several western countries—to raise public awareness regarding the external impact of producing food that is left unconsumed.