Every year, a large amount of food is thrown away by households, shops and restaurants. Why does this happen? What can be done to reduce the amount of food that is wasted?

Food waste has become a serious issue around the world, with tons of food being thrown into the bin every day by families, supermarkets and restaurants. This essay will examine the main reasons behind this problem and propose several solutions. There are several reasons why so much food is wasted. To begin with, people in wealthy countries often buy more food than they actually need. Supermarkets encourage this habit with special offers such as 'buy one get one free', so customers purchase extra items which they cannot finish before the expiry date. Another reason is that many consumers misunderstand the labels on food packages. They throw away products that are still safe to eat just because the 'best before' date has passed. Finally, restaurants usually serve very big portions, and the food which customers cannot eat is simply thrown away. Fortunately, there are some effective ways to deal with this issue. Firstly, governments should run campaigns to educate the public about planning their shopping and understanding food labels correctly. If people make a shopping list and check what they already have at home, they will buy less unnecessary food. Secondly, supermarkets could donate the unsold food to charities instead of throwing it, which would also help poor people. Lastly, restaurants should offer smaller portion sizes and encourage the customers to take the leftover food home. In conclusion, food waste happens mainly because of over-buying, confusing labels and large portions in restaurants. In my opinion, this problem can be reduced significantly if governments, businesses and individuals all take responsibility for their behaviour.