U.S. vacation renters are wasting approximately $2 billion in food annually, according to a new study published in Waste Management.
The research, led by Brian Roe of The Ohio State University, estimates that travelers leave behind an average of $12 worth of uneaten groceries, takeout, and leftovers per night — about 5.1% of their nightly rental cost. The findings stem from an online survey of 502 U.S. adults who had recently stayed in short-term rentals, such as Airbnb or VRBO, primarily for leisure purposes rather than business.
Respondents reported buying $34 in groceries daily, with $7 in unused groceries and $5 in leftovers typically wasted per night. Fresh produce and pantry staples were the most commonly discarded items, and trips with children saw higher waste. Nearly half of the participants said they waste more food while traveling than at home.
“People are basically paying an additional lodging tax through the money they spend on food that they never eat,” Roe said, per Ohio State News.
He noted the environmental impact, as uneaten food contributes to methane emissions in landfills and squanders resources used in production and transport.
The study suggests a simple solution: better host guidance. While 46% of hosts offered recycling and over 20% provided food disposal tips, 75% of renters said they’d welcome instructions on donating or composting leftovers.
“One can imagine this as a simple addition to a host’s information booklet,” Roe said, Ohio State News reported. “And if that knocked that $2 billion number down to $1.5 billion, that’s half a billion dollars less each year of wasted food.”
Roe highlighted the untapped potential, adding, “There are lots of estimates of how much tourists impact local economies, but this, to my knowledge, is one of the first documentations of how much people spend per day on groceries while they’re in an Airbnb.”
The research, co-authored by Ohio State students Sarah Ganbat and Mallika Malhotra, calls for hosts to share location-specific donation and composting options to curb the waste.