Israeli Holiday Food Waste Soars to 2.5 Billion Shekels Amid Rising Prices

The value of food wasted by Israeli households during the High Holidays has nearly doubled in a year, reaching an estimated 2.5 billion shekels, according to a report by Leket Israel and consulting firm BDO. While the volume of waste has remained consistent at around 260,000 tons annually, the monetary cost has dramatically increased due to rising prices. The average Israeli family is expected to spend approximately 4,100 shekels on food for the Tishrei holidays, with about 850 shekels, or over a fifth of their spending, ending up as waste.

This represents a significant jump from previous years. In 2023, the estimated cost of holiday food waste was 1.3 billion shekels, rising to 1.4 billion in 2024. This year's figure of 2.5 billion shekels signifies an approximately 79% increase in the monetary value of wasted food compared to last year. On a household level, the average family's wasted food cost has risen from 530 shekels in 2023 to an estimated 850 shekels this year, a 42% increase.

The waste occurs across the entire supply chain, from production to consumption, not just in homes. The report highlights the environmental impact, noting that approximately 41 million cubic meters of water, enough to fill 12,500 Olympic swimming pools, will be wasted on growing and producing food that is ultimately discarded. This is particularly concerning given Israel's agricultural challenges, including extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, and water restrictions.

Leket Israel's CEO described the situation as absurd, pointing out the disconnect between families feeling the high cost of living and the billions of shekels worth of food being wasted. He emphasized that this waste represents lost water, land, energy, and labor, and that holiday joy should not be measured by excess food or waste.