This time it is the World Bank that has published a report which should at least give us pause for thought: between 25 and 33 per cent of food produced globally becomes waste before it is even consumed.

"The amount of food wasted and thrown away globally is shameful," said Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank. "Millions of people around the world go to bed hungry every night, yet millions of tonnes of food end up in the bin."

From the supermarket to the skip. Cereals account for more than half of all food wasted — 53 per cent of the caloric content that stands between malnutrition and a balanced diet. Also according to the World Bank, fruit and vegetables have the greatest quantity by weight that is literally thrown away.

In detail, in North America 61 per cent of the food that ends up in the bin is bought and left to rot in the fridge. In other countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom, an average family of four throws away between 800 and 1,000 euros' worth of food a year. This translates into a loss of 400–500 calories per person per day in areas such as Africa and South Asia, rising to 750–1,500 in the developed world.

The report also shows how some of the causes can be attributed to the purchasing policies of large retail chains, which incentivise overproduction, combined with promotional offers that push consumers to buy more than they need.

Natural resources as waste. But it is not only food that is wasted, but also the energy and natural resources used to produce it. It is estimated that most of the water used to grow fruit, roast coffee or irrigate rice is wasted if it ends up in the bin before being consumed.

The report strongly recommends a review of farming techniques, the logistics of transport and storage, and — importantly — it underlines the need for a change in consumers' relationship with the purchase of food products. It is time to put an end to food waste.