[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"question:83:en-US":3},{"metadata":4,"sys":15,"fields":35},{"tags":5,"concepts":14},[6,11],{"sys":7},{"type":8,"linkType":9,"id":10},"Link","Tag","consumption",{"sys":12},{"type":8,"linkType":9,"id":13},"global",[],{"space":16,"id":20,"type":21,"createdAt":22,"updatedAt":23,"environment":24,"publishedVersion":28,"revision":29,"contentType":30,"locale":34},{"sys":17},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"Space","ghhpjogyw4x7","777d939470855fba69d00f9f6629b941","Entry","2022-01-03T09:27:02.698Z","2025-10-08T08:17:45.555Z",{"sys":25},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},"master","Environment",262,18,{"sys":31},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":33},"ContentType","question","en-US",{"globalId":36,"answers":37,"answersAsImages":58,"wrongPercentage":94,"name":95,"questionText":96,"statistics":97,"veryWrongStatistics":99,"correctSentence":101,"youWereWrong":102,"youWereRight":103,"dataSourceShortText":104,"dataSourceLinkLongText":105,"extendedAnswerText":106,"headingVeryWrong":107,"youWereVeryWrong":108,"headingWrong":107},"83",[38,60,77],{"metadata":39,"sys":42,"fields":55},{"tags":40,"concepts":41},[],[],{"space":43,"id":45,"type":21,"createdAt":46,"updatedAt":47,"environment":48,"publishedVersion":50,"revision":51,"contentType":52,"locale":34},{"sys":44},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"73734825ef2e0c136ad6f9b12e7f6926","2022-01-04T09:15:33.875Z","2023-09-01T15:43:49.390Z",{"sys":49},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},15,10,{"sys":53},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":54},"answer",{"globalId":56,"correctAnswer":57,"isVeryWrong":58,"answerText":59},"83-a1",true,false,"Around 15%",{"metadata":61,"sys":64,"fields":74},{"tags":62,"concepts":63},[],[],{"space":65,"id":67,"type":21,"createdAt":68,"updatedAt":69,"environment":70,"publishedVersion":50,"revision":51,"contentType":72,"locale":34},{"sys":66},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"9b71dfbf232af7366adb23f0aa5ef0b5","2022-01-04T09:15:33.946Z","2023-09-01T15:43:49.434Z",{"sys":71},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},{"sys":73},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":54},{"globalId":75,"correctAnswer":58,"isVeryWrong":58,"answerText":76},"83-a2","Around 30%",{"metadata":78,"sys":81,"fields":91},{"tags":79,"concepts":80},[],[],{"space":82,"id":84,"type":21,"createdAt":85,"updatedAt":86,"environment":87,"publishedVersion":50,"revision":51,"contentType":89,"locale":34},{"sys":83},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"5da9911e82367a5995bf95a25412c271","2022-01-04T09:15:34.049Z","2023-09-01T15:43:49.486Z",{"sys":88},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},{"sys":90},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":54},{"globalId":92,"correctAnswer":58,"isVeryWrong":57,"answerText":93},"83-a3","Around 45%",93,"Food waste","Globally, how much food is lost between being harvested and sold in stores?\n",[98],"uk 0.93",[100],"uk 0.58","Around 15% of food is lost between harvest and being sold in stores.","You probably know that a lot of food is wasted, while many people don't have enough to eat. But the food loss is only half of what you guessed.","They probably think of all the people that don't have enough food, and then they overestimate how much food is wasted.","Source: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)","A lot of food loss occurs between harvesting and being sold in stores. Measuring food loss is difficult as there is a big lack of data, and the data that exists is often compiled using different methodologies (do you include the skin of the banana or not?). Most of the food loss takes place in low- or lower-middle-income countries, where crops can be spoiled due to inadequate storage for example, but also where data is more difficult to collect. \n\nFood that is lost after being sold in stores but is not eaten is called food waste, and is more common in high-income countries. This data is usually of better quality than for food loss, since high-income countries have the resources to measure the waste. It is estimated that in addition to 15% of all food produced being lost between harvest and sale, another 15% of all food is wasted between the store and the consumer.[2] \n\nThe measuring limitations, including the fact that the data is based on rough estimates, are why we put a lot of difference between the three possible answer options. Four independent experts we consulted also agreed that this is best data available for food waste and that our correct answer is more correct than the other two answers.\n\n[1]  [FAO - Indicator 12.3.1 - Global Food Loss and Waste](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fao.org\u002Fsustainable-development-goals\u002Findicators\u002F1231\u002Fen\u002F)  \n[2]  [Un Environment Programme Food Waste Index Report 2024 (page XII)](https:\u002F\u002Fwedocs.unep.org\u002Fhandle\u002F20.500.11822\u002F45230)  ","Food is lost between harvest and stores for many reasons: poor storage, bad handling techniques, lack of refrigeration, careless transport or processing. In poorer places, the problems are larger. Some of those issues are very solvable and solutions can be as simple as transporting goods in plastic crates instead of sacks. Improving storage to prevent pests ruining crops and refrigerated warehouses are harder problems to solve in low-income countries with less access to electricity.\n\nFood loss occurs at different stages for different income levels. In poorer countries, crops are more likely to be lost in the fields. In rich countries more is lost in the consumption stage when people throw out food they don’t eat.\n\nReducing food loss should be a priority, for two major reasons: Firstly, around 11% of the world’s people don’t have enough food to eat. Secondly, all food production contributes to climate change.\n\n### Why is it a problem that people are wrong about this?\nLike with all overestimated problems, we easily get the impression that it's unsolvable. Instead of exaggerating the problem and losing hope, we should get the proportions right and break down the big numbers into the actual causes of waste at different stages, in different places. Then we can focus on the potential solutions, such as improved electricity access and transport in poor countries.\n\n### Why are people wrong about this?\nLots of people probably answer the worst possible alternative because they feel they don't want to trivialize the problem that a lot of food is wasted while many people in the world are hungry.\n\n### Can I trust this data?\nYes, but please be aware of its limitations. Measuring food waste is difficult, and the number we use is a rough estimate. The four independent food waste experts we consulted all agreed that this is the best data available, and that our \"correct answer\" is certainly more correct than the other two options. As the uncertainty is high we give three answer options that are very different.\n\n### Where can I learn more?\nYou can read more about the data and issues related to different regions when it comes to food waste in the UN’s 2024 [Food Waste Index Report](https:\u002F\u002Fwedocs.unep.org\u002Fhandle\u002F20.500.11822\u002F45230). \n","Less loss but still too much","You probably know that a lot of food is wasted while many people don't have enough to eat. But the food loss is just a third of what you guessed."]