A new APEC review of food loss and waste finds that the region is making policy progress but is still generating more waste per person. The 2025 Progress Review on Food Loss and Waste Reduction in the APEC region, published by the APEC Secretariat in October 2026, reports that average per-capita food waste rose from 127 kilograms in 2019 to 146 kilograms in 2022, an increase of 16 percent.
The findings matter to food manufacturers, retailers, logistics providers and packaging companies. The review points to measurement, cold chains and partnerships with business as the areas where economies need to do more.
What the review measured
The study was carried out under APEC’s Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group, with Chinese Taipei leading the work. The per-capita food waste figures exclude Chinese Taipei.
According to the review, 14 APEC economies have food loss and waste reduction goals aligned with Sustainable Development Goal target 12.3. That target calls for halving per-capita food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reducing losses along production and supply chains by 2030.
The household share of food waste fell from 59 percent to 52 percent over 2019 to 2022. That suggests a growing share of waste is occurring outside homes.
Using estimates for 19 economies, the review finds that food loss and waste across the food supply chain grew 9.6 percent from 2015 to 2022, or about 1.32 percent a year. In 2022, consumption accounted for 32 to 33 percent of the total and production for 25 to 27 percent. By commodity, vegetables made up the largest share at 27 percent, followed by cereals at 25 percent.
Where the review says work is needed
The review’s summary says “Political commitment has expanded, measurement capacity is improving, and practical actions are becoming increasingly comprehensive.” It adds that “progress remains uneven.”
It calls for stronger harmonized measurement, better food loss data, wider use of digital innovation, more investment in post-harvest and cold-chain infrastructure, and deeper public-private partnerships.
What it means for business
Several of these recommendations depend on private investment and private data. Cold-chain capacity, digital tracking along supply chains and shared measurement methods all involve companies as well as governments.
Uneven measurement also affects corporate reporting. Firms that report food waste across several APEC economies face different national baselines and methods. Harmonized measurement, if economies adopt it, would make those figures easier to compare.
The review is a technical report, not a ministerial decision. It gives officials a common evidence base as APEC continues its food security work after this year’s ministerial meetings.
