The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is observed every year on 29 September to encourage action against food loss and waste worldwide. The United Nations declared the day in 2019. Target 12.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 12 seeks to halve food waste and cut food losses by 2030. Reducing waste strengthens food security, conserves natural resources and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. The 2026 theme is “Transformative Potential of Reducing Food Loss and Waste.”