Economic Impact

Overview of Waste Data

Detailed analysis of waste management data in the world and Turkey

Global Food Waste

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report, one-third of the food produced for human consumption goes to waste during the supply chain, and the value of the waste is estimated to be 1.3 trillion dollars. It is thought that only one-third of the total waste can solve the global food waste problem, and approximately 80 billion dollars of this waste can be recovered.

Waste Scale in Turkey

According to the Waste Statistics of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), in 2022, approximately 110 million tons of waste were produced in our country. We see that approximately 80 million tons of this amount are made up of safe waste. 5% of safe waste is made up of food products. The economic impact of food waste is estimated to be approximately 300 billion TL.

34.92%
2023 Recycling Rate
60%
2035 Target Rate
256B
Economic Gain (TL)
498M
Saved Trees

Recycling Achievements

  • 29,3 million ton kağıt-karton
  • 7,8 million ton plastik
  • 2,9 million ton glass
  • 3,7 million ton metal
  • 16,2 million ton organic and other waste

Environmental Benefits

  • 2,6 billion kWh energy savings
  • 819 million m³ water savings
  • 104 million m³ storage area savings
  • 5,9 million ton greenhouse gas emissions prevented
  • 127 million barrel oil savings

Food Waste Scale in Turkey

The food waste and waste from the distribution and consumption excess in the food supply chain is estimated to be approximately 23 million tons per year. The tüketilebilir value of the waste from only the food establishments outside the home exceeds 30 billion TL.

Food Waste Scale in Turkey

  • Total food waste is estimated to be approximately 23 million tons ("food waste foundation" data) (trthaber.com, aa.com.tr)
  • Approximately 35% of this – i.e. 8 million tons – is lost before reaching the table
  • The household part of this waste is estimated to be 7.7 million tons per year
  • This means 93 kg of food waste per person per year (aa.com.tr)

Factors to Consider in Packaged Foods

1. Label and Date Confusion

According to the Food Safety Association data:

  • 72% of consumers do not understand the difference between "best before date (STT)" and "use by date (TETT)"
  • Therefore, TETT expired products are also discarded (ggd.org.tr)

Conclusion: Label confusion increases the rate of unnecessary waste in packaged foods.

2. The Protective Effect of Packaging

Packaging can reduce food losses:

  • According to TGDF, packaged sales, especially in easily damaged categories such as fruits–vegetables, reduce waste (aa.com.tr)
  • However, due to the misinterpretation of dates, packaged products are also discarded

Comment on the Essence of the Data

1. Rolled Effects:

  • Packaged products can extend their shelf life without damage, but label confusion can reduce this benefit
  • Therefore, the "packaged = waste prevention" equation only works if consumers correctly understand the dates

2. Economic and Environmental Load:

  • 23 million tons of food waste, which also means a large economic and carbon footprint
  • Despite the shelf life provided by packaged foods, consumer habits can obscure this advantage

3. Policy Recommendations:

  • Label standardization: Clear display of STT/TETT difference, simplification
  • Consumer education: Brochures, media campaigns, shopping guides to help consumers understand dates

Recommended Strategy

Step 1 - Label Reform: Highlighting the STT/TETT distinction and icon/color codes to clarify date limits

Step 2 - Awareness Campaign: Clarifying date finalities through television, social media to raise consumer awareness

Step 3 - Proportional Store Applications: "Last consumption this week" labeled corners; discount/promotion campaigns

Step 4 - Measurement–Evaluation: After-sales analysis for impact measurement: label understanding rate, comparison with global indicators

Conclusion

Packaged foods provide powerful tools in theory to reduce waste. However, based on the large-scale food waste seen in Turkey (~23 million tons/year), consumer behavior and label confusion are at the core. Label reform and consumer education can make a significant difference in practice.

Future Perspective

Future Projections for Sustainable Waste Management

Growth Target

According to the 2018 Turkey Waste Report of the Ministry of Trade, it is stated that the global food production will increase by 50% by 2050.

Biological Solutions

Due to the fact that eggs, milk and fish products are not easily damaged and their quality is effectively preserved, the production of natural biological compounds obtained from food waste, biologically degradable, smart films is expected to increase.

Circular Economy

It is seen that the use of biologically active components obtained from waste as animal feed is also an application that is more widespread. (Georganas and others, 2020)