Up to two-fifths of a food crop is often wasted because it is "ugly", a report on food waste has shown. Produce grown in the UK that does not meet retailer  standards on appearance is often given to animals or thrown out even though it is healthy to eat. The report from the UK's global food security program also showed that the average household throws away more than 5kg of food a week, and nearly two-thirds of that waste is avoidable. The waste costs PS 480 a year per household on average, and PS 680 per family. Households throw away a fifth of the food they buy, wasting it for reasons ranging from cooking too much to not using it before it goes bad, the study showed. Consumption is the top area where food is wasted in the UK, the study said. Farmers respond to consumer demands for high-quality food with standards that can lead to the crop being wasted. Some supermarkets have started marketing "odd shapes and sizes" of fruit and vegetables, though. Also, more UK consumers are prepared to accept "ugly" fruit and vegetables, amid concerns over sustainability  and food prices, the research said. In developing countries, much of the loss of food occurs during post-harvesting storage, processing and packaging. Tackling waste globally is necessary to feed a growing world population sustainably. One in eight people worldwide doesn't have enough food, the report said. Around a third of food produced globally is lost or wasted. Professor Tim Benton, an expert on food security at the University of Leeds, said: "Over 5 million people in the UK live in poverty, where basic food provision is a daily challenge." Nearly 400,000 people used food banks last year, according to the Trussell Trust. "At the same time, 15 million tons of food is wasted annually, with nearly half thrown away within UK households. Reducing the scale  of losses and waste throughout the food system is a crucial step." The report highlights priorities  for research to help reduce food waste, including improving harvesting and packaging technologies and seasonal weather prediction. Food waste in developing nations is mainly due to    _    .
fast growing populations huge demand for high-quality foods poor technology in food industries people's lack of concern about food shortages