A new report says as much as half of all the food produced in the world, up to 2 billion tons, goes to waste every year.
The study, by Britain's Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME), says the "staggering" amount of wasted food is a result of unnecessarily strict sell-by dates, "buy one get one free" special offers, and Western consumer pickiness.
The IME report also blames "poor engineering and agricultural practices," faulty infrastructure, and poor storage facilities.
Among countries that once belonged to the Soviet Union, the wastage is highest in Ukraine, with between 25 to 50 percent losses, or about 6 to 12 million tons of grains annually.
The study also found that in Britain up to 30 percent of vegetables go unharvested because of their physical appearance.
Based on reporting by RFE/RL and BBC