A new national standard released by CSA Group is intended to give organizations across Canada a common framework for defining, measuring, and reporting food loss and waste throughout the food value chain.
The standard, CSA K100, Food loss and waste – Terminology and measurement, addresses what CSA Group describes as a longstanding lack of consistent national approaches for tracking food loss and waste, an issue that has made it difficult to compare data and coordinate action across sectors.
The standard establishes shared terminology and guidance for measuring food loss and waste, including recommendations on where organizations should assess losses and how surplus food should be managed.
“Consistent measurement is a critical step toward meaningful change. You can’t reduce what you can’t measure,” Ana-Maria Tomlinson, director of strategic and cross-sector initiatives at CSA Group, said in a statement. “CSA K100 helps organizations generate clearer, more comparable data on food loss and waste, supporting smarter interventions across the supply chain.”
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
The latest environmental engineering news direct to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
According to research from Second Harvest and Value Chain Management International, 46.5% of food in Canada is wasted, with 41.7% considered potentially avoidable. The organizations estimate the losses amount to roughly $58 billion annually.
CSA Group said the standard is designed to help organizations identify the causes, quantities, and destinations of food loss and waste, measure losses at key points in the supply chain, and determine the most appropriate destination for surplus food. That could include keeping edible food within the human food system through prevention and redistribution efforts, or redirecting material into feed or biomaterials.
The organization said CSA K100 also supports broader efforts to advance the circular economy by creating common definitions and frameworks that can help governments, businesses, and other stakeholders align strategies and track progress more effectively.
The standard is intended for use by for-profit and not-for-profit organizations across the food supply chain, waste management and disposal organizations, as well as governments and non-governmental organizations at the federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal levels.
CSA K100:2026, Food loss and waste – Terminology and measurement, is available through the CSA Group Online Store.
