A Decade of Waste: Billions Lost, Solutions Emerging
Over 211 billion shekels in food lost over the past decade, according to the Annual Food Waste and Rescue Report by Leket Israel and BDO
Over the past decade, Israel has faced an astonishing economic, environmental, and social hemorrhage: The 10th Annual Food Waste and Rescue Report by Leket Israel and BDO and in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health, reveals that 211 billion shekels worth of food has been lost and wasted, exacerbated by population growth, rising prices, and insufficient national policy.
The amount is staggering. In 2024 alone, 2.6 million tons of food, valued at 26.2 billion shekels, were discarded. That figure represents 39% of all food produced in Israel and is equivalent to 1.3% of the national GDP, with an annual average burden of 10,785 shekels per family.
Growing Health Burdens
The report also states that the health-related burden of food insecurity now stands at 5.8 billion shekels per year, representing approximately 4% of national healthcare expenditure. Roughly 1.5 million Israelis live with food insecurity, a reality that contributes to long-term health risks strain on families and the healthcare system.
Food insecurity is not an isolated phenomenon. It is linked to economic inequality, rising living costs, and living in the geographic and social periphery. As long as food waste continues unchecked, healthcare systems will absorb the consequences.
According to the report's analysis, the environmental price tag of food loss and waste is 4.2 billion shekels annually. This includes wasted agricultural inputs, land and water, increased emissions, and rising costs of waste treatment. Every kilogram of food thrown away represents energy expended, resources depleted, and pollution released into the air, soil, and groundwater, a burden future generations will inherit.
A Decade of Policy Shifts
Since the 2015 State Comptroller's report exposing the lack of a national policy on food waste and food rescue, Leket Israel has taken a central role in reshaping policy and public consciousness. Over the past decade, the Food Donation Act was passed and later amended, food rescue and food security were integrated into the National Food Security Program and included in the Ministry of Welfare's support criteria, and inter-ministerial guidelines for measurement and action were established.
"211 billion shekels' worth of food was thrown away in a single decade," says Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel. "This is a national failure, without moral, environmental, social, or economic justification. The time has come for decisive action. Leket Israel, the National Food Bank, has shown that food can be rescued, transformed from waste into resource, and redistributed to hundreds of thousands of families. According to the report, every shekel invested in food rescue generates 10.7 shekels in national value. Israel needs a dedicated budget to meet one clear goal: an Israel without food loss."
A Call for Structural Change
Chen Herzog, Chief Economist of BDO and editor of the report, warns "The lack of a national policy and budget is a continuing failure. Food loss totaling 26 billion shekels this past year alone has hit food security, cost of living, and the environment. About 30% of Israel's agricultural output is produced in conflict zones along Israel's borders. Fruit and vegetable prices have gone up by roughly 15% since the war in Israel began, the burden ultimately falling on consumers. Since the first Food Waste Report ten years ago, the annual cost of food loss has jumped by 45%, from 18 billion shekel in 2015 to 26 billion shekel today. The 2026 state budget must include a clear national policy to reduce food loss and implement a national food rescue plan."
Turning Policy into Action
In 2025, the government released its first official plan to reduce food loss and waste, led by the Ministry of Environmental Protection together with the Ministry of Agriculture. This plan outlines practical channels for intervention, including clear national targets. Together, these actions aim to curb billions in losses and provide relief to low- and middle-income families disproportionately burdened by rising food prices.
"The Food Loss Report presents a grim reality," says Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection. "The national plan lays out a sustainable, socio-economic path to addressing one of Israel's largest food-system challenges. Food rescue is a foundational step in shaping a sustainable food economy, reducing household burdens, narrowing social gaps, and shrinking Israel's environmental footprint. The ministry will continue advancing the plan through budgetary anchoring and multi-sector cooperation."
Dr. Moran Blaychfeld Magnazi, Director of the Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health, adds:"The Ministry of Health views food rescue and reduced waste as essential tools in combating food insecurity and promoting healthier, more sustainable diets. Increasing fruit and vegetable access for vulnerable communities can dramatically improve public health while reducing avoidable national costs. The ministry continues to incorporate food-waste reduction into public procurement and educational programs."
Partnered with Leket Israel
