matsvinnets

Matsvinnet denotes the edible food that is produced for human consumption but is discarded, wasted, or lost somewhere along the food supply chain, from farm to table. The concept covers both avoidable waste (food that could have been eaten) and unavoidable waste (peels, bones, and other inedible parts). It encompasses losses in production, processing, distribution, catering, and households. The term is commonly used in Sweden and other Nordic contexts, as well as in global discussions about sustainable consumption.

Global estimates suggest that about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is never consumed, with different patterns across regions. In high-income countries, households and food service contribute substantially to waste, while in lower-income regions the losses are often rooted in production, storage, and distribution. Matsvinn has multiple impacts: it consumes valuable resources such as water, land, and energy, and generates greenhouse gas emissions when discarded in landfills. Economically, households and businesses bear costs, and social concerns arise when edible food could address food insecurity elsewhere.

Causes are diverse and include consumer preferences for cosmetically perfect produce, over-purchasing and poor meal planning, unclear guidance on date labels, and retailers discarding edible products to avoid reputational or legal risk. Prevention strategies emphasize better forecasting and inventory management, improved storage, meal planning and creative use of leftovers, and redistribution of surplus through charities. Policy measures often follow the waste hierarchy: prevent, reuse, recycle, with incentives for donation, clearer labeling, and support for composting and anaerobic digestion. Measuring matsvinnet involves per-capita waste statistics and distinguishing avoidable from unavoidable fractions.