Half of world's meals go into the bin: Report

Experts have revealed that half of the food produced in the world is actually being thrown away every year.

According to a report, as much as two billion tonnes is wasted just because of overly strict sell-by dates, buy-one-get-one-free offers and consumer fussiness, Daily Express reported Thursday.

Up to 30 percent of the vegetables in Britain are not harvested because their physical appearance fails to match the severe demands of the supermarkets.

According to a report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, an independent scientific body, half of the food purchased in Europe and the US is thrown away as needless waste while elsewhere there are other problems like storage.

"The amount of food wasted is staggering," says Tim Fox, of the institution. "This could be used to feed the world's growing population - as well as those in hunger today."

"The reasons for this situation range from poor engineering and agricultural practices, inadequate transport and storage infrastructure through to supermarkets demanding cosmetically perfect foodstuffs," he added. - IANS