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Austrian households throw away food worth around €100 every month, according to new calculations released on Tuesday by the environmental organization WWF. The group combined existing studies on food waste with current supermarket prices to estimate the financial impact of discarded groceries.
On average, 14 kilograms of edible food end up in the bin per household each month. The items most frequently wasted are fruit and vegetables and bread and baked goods, while more expensive products such as meat and fish tend to be thrown away less often.
WWF expert Dominik Heizmann said the findings highlight both the environmental and financial consequences of waste. “Food waste doesn’t just harm the climate and the environment — it also creates noticeable costs for households. Anyone who throws away less saves money and protects valuable resources,” he noted.
More Than 1.2 Million Tons of Food Lost Each Year
Across Austria, more than 1.2 million tons of food are wasted annually, WWF reported.
- Around 570,000 tons come from agriculture, processing, retail, and food services.
- Another 685,000 tons originate in private households.
This waste also contributes to rising food prices, the organization warned. Costs for producing, transporting, storing, and disposing of food that is never eaten are ultimately passed along the entire supply chain.
WWF Calls for Better Education and Transparency
To mark May 26, which WWF has designated as the Day of Food Rescue, the organization is calling for stronger education efforts in schools and vocational training programs. The goal: raise awareness about the value of food and teach practical ways to reduce waste.
WWF also demands:
- Transparent tracking of food waste from farm to table
- Binding reduction targets for all sectors
- Improved conditions for food donations
“From agriculture to households, enormous quantities of edible food are still being wasted,” Heizmann said. “We need more transparency, clear reduction goals, and better frameworks for food donations.”
How the €100 Figure Was Calculated
The estimate is based on analyses by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) on the composition and disposal of household food waste. Earlier studies on the monetary value of discarded food were updated to reflect current price levels.
By combining these datasets, WWF arrived at the average cost of €100 per household per month — a figure that underscores both the economic and ecological urgency of tackling food waste.
- source: APA/picture: google.gemini.com
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