The lavish "big fat Indian wedding" is a cultural spectacle known for its opulence, grandeur, and increasingly, its food waste.
With over 10 million weddings taking place annually in India, these events have become one of the country’s major sources of food wastage and a driver behind rising methane emissions.
According to Feeding India, an NGO working to combat hunger, anywhere between 30 and 50 kilograms of food is wasted at an average Indian wedding. In elite weddings, the amount can soar to a staggering 800 kilograms.
Globally, food waste is a serious concern. The Food Waste Index Report 2024, released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), a UK-based non-profit, states that one crore (10 million) meals are wasted every day worldwide.
The report also highlights that household waste makes up the largest share, more than 60%, of this global food waste.
In India, much of the wedding-related food waste is due to oversized buffets, inaccurate guest estimates, and a general lack of awareness about food donation.
The consequences of this waste extend beyond empty plates. It’s contributing significantly to environmental degradation.
When discarded food ends up in landfills, it decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane, a greenhouse gas that is around 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of warming potential.
Methane can linger in the atmosphere for over 20 years and is responsible for roughly 30% of the rise in global temperatures since pre-industrial times.
Climate change has already exceeded the thresholds set by the Paris Agreement. Food waste from weddings and other events continues to fuel this crisis.
The UNEP report notes that “human-caused methane emissions could be reduced by as much as 45% within the decade,” a change that could prevent nearly 0.3 °C of global warming by 2045 and keep the planet within the 1.5 l°C imit targeted by the Paris Agreement.
Meanwhile, as one billion tons of food is wasted globally each year, about one-third of the world’s population experiences food insecurity. Of these, 783 million people struggle with hunger.
This stark contrast calls for immediate action. Mindful consumption, better planning, and raising awareness about food recovery and donation can significantly reduce food wastage, especially at weddings. Institutional frameworks must be established to streamline food collection.
NGOs involved in food redistribution should be certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to ensure food safety and accountability.
In 2018, the Delhi government took a notable step to reduce food waste by capping the number of guests allowed at weddings. A similar trend emerged naturally during the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions led to smaller, more intimate gatherings. However, such measures shouldn’t be limited to times of crisis.
Promoting smaller, more mindful celebrations can significantly reduce the enormous food waste typically generated at weddings. It’s a step toward both environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
The celebration of love and union should not come at the cost of the planet or hungry mouths. A shift towards responsible celebrations can make the big fat Indian wedding truly great for all.
