Food Loss and Waste: Magnitude, Nutritional Implications, Environmental Consequences, and Strategies for Reduction — A Narrative Review with Special Reference to Indonesia

Abstract

Background: ood loss and waste (FLW) represent a critical yet underappreciated challenge to global food and nutrition security, environmental sustainability, and economic development. An estimated 13% of food produced globally is lost along the supply chain. Indonesia ranks among the world's largest contributors to food waste, generating 53–84 kg per capita per year, with households responsible for approximately 80% of this volume. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the magnitude, drivers, nutritional implications, environmental consequences, and effective reduction strategies for FLW, with particular attention to the Indonesian context.

Methods: A non-systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, policy reports, and contextual studies published between 2016 and 2026.

Results: FLW imposes a triple burden: nutritional, through the loss of macro- and micronutrient-dense foods; environmental, through greenhouse gas emissions, water depletion, and land use; and economic, disproportionately affecting smallholder farmers and food-insecure households. Behavioural interventions, including education and choice architecture nudges, demonstrate moderate effectiveness in reducing consumer-level waste. Policy instruments such as date labelling reform, fiscal measures, and food redistribution systems show promise but remain inconsistently implemented, particularly in low- and middle-income countries including Indonesia. 

Conclusion: Achieving SDG 12.3's target to halve per capita food waste by 2030 requires coordinated multisectoral action combining measurement, behavioural, regulatory, and technological strategies, adapted to the national and local context.