Households in North Macedonia waste 86 kg of food per person annually, 17 kg above EU average
Households in North Macedonia throw away 86 kg of food per person each year, 17 kg more than the EU average.
Households in North Macedonia discard on average 86 kilograms of food per person each year — 17 kg more than the average in the European Union. The gap reflects higher household-level food waste compared with EU member states.
The EU average stands at 69 kilograms per person annually, while North Macedonian households produce 86 kilograms of food waste per person over the year.
Global context from UNEP
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) food waste index for 2024 estimates that the world throws away 1.05 billion tonnes of food annually, equivalent to 19% of all food made available to consumers. That global figure provides a backdrop for national-level comparisons.
Beyond private homes, food loss and waste in North Macedonia also exceed European averages in other parts of the supply chain, notably in restaurants and retail. These sectoral differences suggest the problem is not limited to consumer behaviour alone.
Experts and policymakers typically point to a mix of causes — from purchasing and portioning habits to supply-chain inefficiencies — and to a range of possible responses, including public awareness campaigns, improved food management in hospitality and retail, and better measurement and reporting.
Reducing food waste would lower household expenses and shrink environmental impacts from production to disposal, but achieving that requires coordinated action across consumers, businesses and authorities.
Photo: press material from the event
