The question
Write about the following topic:
In many countries, a large proportion of the food that is produced is never eaten and is simply thrown away.
What problems does this cause? What can be done to reduce food waste?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Key ideas for a high-band answer
- Environmental problem: wasted land, water and energy, and methane released from food rotting in landfill.
- Economic and moral problems: losses for farmers and households while many people go hungry.
- Solutions in wealthy countries: laws making supermarkets donate unsold food (e.g. France), clearer date labels, consumer campaigns.
- Solutions in developing countries: cold storage, better packaging and roads to reduce losses before food reaches consumers.
- Compost or energy from unavoidable waste instead of landfill.
Band 9 model answer
316 words · written by Abroadway to show band 9 features (not an official IELTS sample)
It is estimated that around a third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted, while hundreds of millions of people do not have enough to eat. This waste causes serious environmental, economic and moral problems, but it could be reduced considerably through action by governments, businesses and individuals.
The most obvious problem is environmental. Growing, transporting and storing food uses enormous quantities of land, water and energy, all of which are wasted when the food is thrown away. Moreover, when food rots in landfill sites, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is far more powerful than carbon dioxide. Food waste is also an economic loss for farmers, businesses and households, and it is morally troubling when so many families struggle to feed themselves.
The solutions depend partly on where the waste occurs. In wealthy countries, much of it happens in shops and homes. Supermarkets often reject fruit and vegetables that look imperfect, and consumers throw away food that is still safe because they misunderstand best-before dates. Governments could address this through legislation; France, for example, has required large supermarkets to donate unsold food to charities instead of destroying it since 2016. Clearer labelling and public campaigns would also help people to plan meals and use leftovers.
In developing countries, by contrast, most food is lost before it reaches consumers, because farmers lack cold storage, proper packaging and good roads to markets. Here, investment in refrigerated warehouses and transport would make the biggest difference. Finally, food that cannot be eaten could be collected separately and turned into compost or used to produce energy rather than being sent to landfill.
In conclusion, food waste damages the environment, wastes resources and is unjust in a world where many people go hungry. In my view, a combination of laws on supermarkets, better infrastructure for farmers and greater awareness among consumers would significantly reduce the problem.
Useful vocabulary for this topic
- food waste
- landfill
- methane
- greenhouse gas
- supermarkets
- best-before
- donate
- cold storage
- compost
Learn how to plan and write this essay type in the free lesson Problem–solution and cause–effect essays.
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