More than half of all food produced in Canada is wasted, study shows

More than half of all food produced in Canada is wasted, according to a unique new study.

The report, funded mostly by the Walmart Foundation and commissioned by Toronto-based Second Harvest, found that 58% of produce in the country is thrown away.

One-third of all that waste - 11 million tonnes - could be recovered, the research suggests.

The value of the uneaten food is around $50-billion - more than half what Canadians spend on food every year.

It amounts to enough food to feed everybody in Canada for five months.

According to the report, 43% of all the wasted produce is the responsibility of processors and manufacturers.

The authors of the study say inaccurate market forecasts, inefficient systems and the disposal of food that does not meet grading standards are “all part of the problem”.

But a huge amount of food is also wasted in Canadian kitchens.

The value of the disposed produce - which amounts to 21% of all wasted food - is about $1,700 per household.

Hospitals and restaurants are responsible for 13% of the waste, while retail outlets account for 12%, the report shows.

The research into the food waste is unique because it is the first to use data taken directly from the industry instead of using estimates.

Second Harvest’s Lori Nikkel said: "We’ve cheapened [food] so much that it doesn’t have value any more. It would horrify our grandparents.

"We need to go back to that valuing of food."

With files from the Canadian Press