Recent research from Avery Dennison shows that tackling food waste could act as a significant driver for profitability, resilience, and long-term growth for global food retailers and supply chain operators.
The company estimates food waste will cost businesses US$540 billion this year. If trends persist, cumulative food-waste costs between 2025 and 2030 could reach around US$3.4 trillion, demonstrating both a major margin drain and a missed growth opportunity for retailers and supply chains.
Over half of businesses surveyed (51%) cite poor inventory management and overstocking as key drivers of food waste in their operations.
Meat was identified as one of the three most challenging categories, with 50% of respondents naming it hardest for waste. Fresh produce (45%) followed closely as a difficult category in terms of waste.
Across a typical retail supply chain, food waste equates to about 33% of total revenue on average.
Around 73% of respondents view tackling food waste as a growth opportunity, with the study arguing that improved visibility and innovation can convert this historic cost into business value and resilience.
The Avery Dennison report was developed with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and is based on 3,500 retail leaders in seven countries, including the UK, the US, Germany, France, China, Brazil, and India.
For further information, visit The $540B Grocery Bill: Unlocking the Value of Food Waste | Avery Dennison