Some 100m tonnes of food is thrown out every year in the EU, according to the European Commission.
Eurobarometer has asked people whose fault this is and how things could be improved.
Irish people, in common with most Europeans, think that consumers have to take a lot of the blame.
Some 71% of Irish people think that individual consumers play an important role in preventing food waste, according to Eurobarometer.
Next in line are hotels, restaurants and other food service outlets, with 52% of Irish respondents pointing the finger at them.
While almost half of Europeans think the public sector has to play its part, just 28% of Irish people share this view, the survey found.
Most Irish people emphasise individual responsibility when it comes to how to reduce food waste, with many saying better shopping and meal planning would help.
Eurobarometer looked closely at date marking and asked people if they thought “use before” and “best before” dates helped to prevent waste.
Most Irish and Europeans responded that they thought that information about storing and preparation of food did help to improve matters.
While most respondents recognise their own important role in food waste prevention, many Europeans still don’t understand date marking properly, and this contributes to the waste of safe, edible food, according to Eurobarometer.
The findings of the poll will help in policy making around food labelling and information to consumers, according to the Commission.
It stated that it confirms the need to continue educating the public on date marking, while taking into account the varying needs of different consumer groups in the EU Member States.