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Food & Agriculture

30 counters

The UK wastes approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food per year — worth around £17 billion — while distributing over 3 million food bank parcels. Britain produces approximately 60% of its own food, importing £65 billion worth annually creating a food trade deficit. Around 2.6 million chickens are slaughtered every day in the UK. The number of UK farms has fallen significantly since 1980 as agricultural land is lost to development. Food and agriculture data is sourced from DEFRA, WRAP, the Food Standards Agency and HMRC trade statistics.

Key UK Food & Agriculture Statistics 2024
9.5 million tonnes — food wasted per year in the UK (WRAP)
£17 billion — annual value of food waste
60% — UK food self-sufficiency rate (DEFRA)
£65 billion — annual UK food import bill
2.6 million — chickens slaughtered per day in the UK
£17 billion — food trade deficit per year
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Meals Eaten in UK Today

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Meals Eaten in UK This Year

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Food Wasted Today (tonnes)

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Food Wasted This Year (tonnes)

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Cost of Food Waste Today

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Cost of Food Waste This Year

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Food Bank Parcels Given Out Today

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Food Bank Parcels This Year

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Food Imported into UK Today (£)

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Food Imported This Year (£)

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Food Exported from UK Today (£)

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Food Exported This Year (£)

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UK Food Trade Deficit This Year

~60%

UK Food Self-Sufficiency

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Animals Slaughtered Today

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Animals Slaughtered This Year

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Chickens Slaughtered Today

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Pigs Slaughtered Today

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Cattle Slaughtered Today

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Fish Caught in UK Waters Today (tonnes)

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Fish Caught This Year (tonnes)

204,000

Farms in UK

~60,000 lost since 1980

UK Farms Lost Since 1980

17.1 million hectares

Agricultural Land in UK

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Agricultural Land Lost to Development This Year (ha)

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Pesticides Used in UK This Year (tonnes)

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Fertiliser Used in UK This Year (tonnes)

4,700

Certified Organic Farms in UK

97% supermarket

UK Grocery Market Share: Supermarkets vs Local

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Cost of Food Poverty to UK Economy This Year

Sources: DEFRA, WRAP, Trussell Trust, HMRC Trade Stats, Food Standards Agency · Data year: 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on official UK government data

How much food is wasted in the UK each year?

The UK wastes approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food per year, according to WRAP statistics, at a cost of around £17 billion. This is equivalent to approximately 25 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Around 70% of food waste occurs in UK homes, with households throwing away the equivalent of 8 meals per week.

How many animals are slaughtered in the UK each year?

Approximately 1.2 billion animals are slaughtered for food in the UK each year, according to DEFRA statistics. This includes around 950 million chickens, 47 million pigs and 3.1 million cattle. UK per capita meat consumption is approximately 84kg per year.

How much food does the UK import each year?

The UK imports approximately £65 billion worth of food per year and exports approximately £25 billion, creating a food trade deficit of around £40 billion annually. The UK is approximately 60% self-sufficient in food it can grow domestically, making it reliant on imports for around 40% of its food supply.