The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that about one third of the food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted. According to national studies, fresh fruit and vegetables contribute to almost 50% of the food waste generated by EU households. This is to be expected given that they make up about one third of total food purchases, some of their mass is inedible (e.g. peel), and they are highly perishable and relatively cheap. Around 88 million tonnes of food are wasted annually in the EU, with associated costs estimated at 143 billion euros.
— source European Commission Joint Research Centre | Aug 13, 2018