Consumption of poors, waste of riches, and ‘freedom from food’

The issue of ‘freedom from food’ is discussed along two main lines of evidence. Firstly, some ‘stylised facts’ are presented that show how, through its central role in total expenses of the poor people, food still represents a very high ‘opportunity cost’ in terms of alternative allocations of income to other goods and services. Secondly, while food has a low opportunity cost for high-income countries, in the same countries food can generate another opportunity cost through the high level of food waste. Estimates of the economic value of food waste in Europe are presented to suggest how strategies against food waste can deliver high economic benefits.