Food Waste in IrelandA Crisis We Can Solve Together
In Ireland, we waste over 749,000 tonnes of food each year. That’s roughly 145 kg per person—or more than the body weight of the average adult. But food waste isn’t just about throwing out leftovers. It happens all along the food value chain—from farms and factories to restaurants and homes.
At Too Good To Go, we believe that every meal matters. And every tonne of food we help save from going to waste is a step towards a more sustainable, more affordable, and more responsible food system—for everyone.
The Scale of Food Waste in Ireland
Food waste in Ireland is staggering in both volume and cost.
- 749,243 tonnes of food are wasted annually in Ireland (Eurostat, 2023). That’s the weight of more than 60,000 dairy cows
- The financial cost? An estimated €1.29 billion per year (EPA, 2024).
- And the environmental toll? Huge. Food that’s produced but not eaten still consumes water, land, energy—and when it’s wasted, it contributes to climate change through emissions and landfill waste.
Where It HappensThe Full Value Chain Breakdown
From farm fields to family fridges, food is wasted at every stage of the journey. Here's how it looks across Ireland’s food system:
1. Primary Production
52,837 tonnes (7.1%)
Food is lost before it ever leaves the farm. Weather damage, overproduction or market standards mean crops are left behind.
2. Processing & Manufacturing
230,100 tonnes (30.7%)
Food waste here comes from production errors, surplus stock, and quality control processes. That’s nearly a third of Ireland’s total food waste.
3. Retail & Distribution
89,103 tonnes (11.9%)
From supermarkets to supply chains, short shelf lives, damaged goods, or supply issues lead to edible food being discarded.
4. Restaurants & Food Services
157,045 tonnes (21.0%)
Buffets, portion sizes, last-minute cancellations and preparation waste all contribute in cafés, hotels, schools and more.
5. Households
220,158 tonnes (29.4%)
This is where nearly a third of all food waste happens. Overbuying, poor planning, and confusion around date labels play a big role.
Why It Matters
- €1.29 billion worth of food is wasted each year
- 29.4% of food waste in Ireland happens at home
- Food waste is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions
- Producing food that’s never eaten wastes water, land and labour
It’s bad for our wallets, bad for the planet, and—when so many still face food insecurity—deeply unfair.
Small Changes, Big Impact
The good news? Food waste is one of the few climate problems we can tackle today—with tools we already have.
- 1 kg of food waste = roughly 2.5–3 kg of CO₂e (depending on type)
- If global food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases
- Reducing food waste is the #1 solution to stop climate change (Project Drawdown, 2020)
When we waste less food, we waste fewer resources—and that means real change for our climate and our communities.
Fighting Food Waste Together
Too Good To Go is the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food. We connect people to great food that would otherwise go to waste.
Here’s how we’re making a difference:
- 400 million+ meals saved globally so far
- That’s over 1.1 million tonnes of CO₂e avoided
- Plus, 324 billion litres of water and 1.1 billion m² of land use spared
We do this through our Surprise Bags, Too Good To Go Parcels, and digital tools that help businesses manage surplus more effectively.
From small grocers to national brands, we help turn surplus into opportunity.
From Awareness to Action
Everyone has a role to play in reducing food waste—and it starts with everyday choices.
Here’s what you can do right now:
- Plan your meals and shop with a list
- Understand date labels—"Best Before" is not "Bad After"
- Use your senses—look, smell, taste before tossing
- Store food properly to make it last longer
- Download the Too Good To Go app and rescue Surprise Bags in your area
Every bag saved is a step forward.
A Call to Action
Ireland wastes the equivalent of nearly two million meals a day. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
At Too Good To Go, we believe that solving food waste is a win-win-win: for people, for the planet, and for business.
Let’s make sure good food ends up on plates—not in bins.