27 May 2026 – The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)’s Food Waste Coalition of Action today released its latest report, showing a 22% reduction in average company-level food waste intensity among participating companies since 2021; food waste intensity is defined as the share of total food waste relative to total food handled.
Titled ‘Towards the 2030 food waste Commitment: Tracking progress and action against the baseline’, the report provides an update on Coalition progress since its baseline report, published in 2023 analysing data from 2021.
Drawing on 2024 data from participating members, the new report sets out the continued efforts by major consumer goods companies to strengthen measurement and operational efficiency. Data submitted by 14 members was validated by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
The report reflects improvements in reporting and transparency, with companies strengthening data quality, expanding their reporting scope and updating historical submissions – all of which helps the Coalition’s ability to monitor progress and identify priority areas for action.
Sharon Bligh, Director of Health & Sustainability, The Consumer Goods Forum, said: “Reducing food waste is one of the clearest opportunities for the industry to improve efficiencies while minimising their environmental impact. This analysis provides promising signs of progress – but we know the scale of this complex global issue means that every business should continue to step up to the plate. The overall volume of food waste is still high, and the fact that progress varies across sectors and geographies illustrates the need for targeted solutions.”
Annabelle Souchon, Global Circular Economy Lead, Bel Group – Food Waste Coalition Co-Chair, said: “Consistent measurement and transparent reporting are critical to understand where food waste happens and to prioritise action. What this report shows is that progress starts with individual company efforts, strengthened by data sharing and more pragmatic, aligned reporting approaches.”
Chris Franke, Senior Manager of Global Sustainability, Walmart – Food Waste Coalition Co-Chair, said: “Food waste reduction is not only an environmental priority — it is also an opportunity for businesses to improve efficiency and strengthen resilience across their operations. The progress highlighted in this report shows that Coalition members are continuing to turn ambition into practical action, while recognising there is still more to do to scale solutions and accelerate change across the industry.”
The report recognises that the emphasis on enhancing the scope and precision of reporting has led to an increase in overall food waste reported by participating Coalition members, reflecting the enhanced rigour of the process. While the total reported food waste across all companies rose by 0.78m tonnes since the 2023 baseline report, companies are now measuring their operations more thoroughly which ultimately uncovers more data.
The data highlights specific areas where the industry can do more, such as overcoming a lack of local infrastructure and using more circular methods for food waste, after focusing on redistribution and animal feed, like composting and anaerobic digestion. The Coalition will continue to support its members to strengthen data consistency and transparency, as well as scaling food waste prevention solutions and the drive to redistribute more food to people.
The Coalition is also developing a Value of Food Framework to help quantify the environmental, social, and economic benefits of food waste reduction and strengthen the business case for action across the full value chain. The range of practical initiatives already led by the Coalition include its #TooGoodToWaste campaign, which inspires consumers to help reduce household food waste.
The Coalition reports aggregated findings and does not disclose which individual member companies have or have not submitted data in a given reporting cycle.
Access the report online here.
