Israel Faces Alarming Food Waste of $670 Million During High Holidays

New data from Leket Israel and BDO reveals that approximately 260,000 tons of food, valued at around 2.5 billion shekels (approximately $670 million USD), are expected to be wasted throughout the production and consumption chain during the upcoming High Holidays. This significant loss directly impacts Israeli families, who spend an average of 4,100 shekels on food for the holidays, with over 850 shekels worth, more than 20% of the total, being discarded.

Beyond the financial burden, the food waste carries severe environmental and agricultural consequences. It equates to the squandering of 41 million cubic meters of water, enough to fill about 12,500 Olympic swimming pools. This occurs while Israeli agriculture is already grappling with drought and extreme heatwaves that have substantially increased cultivation costs.

Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel, highlighted the "absurdity" of the situation, noting that families feel the pinch of the cost of living while farmers face drought, and simultaneously, billions of shekels worth of food goes to waste. He emphasized that this wasted food represents squandered water, land, energy, and labor, urging families to reduce waste through better shopping planning during the holidays.

Overall figures from Leket Israel and BDO indicate a persistent problem. In 2023 alone, Israel lost 2.6 million tons of food worth 24.3 billion shekels. The "Swords of Iron" war has exacerbated these losses, adding an estimated 1.6 billion shekels in the first nine months of the conflict, including direct food loss, environmental damage, and health costs linked to increased food insecurity.