Food Waste Drivers in Europe, from Identification to Possible Interventions

Abstract

Abstract:The growing volumes of food globally lost or wasted and implications for food security and sustainability have raised the concern of researchers, governments, international organizations and grass-root movements. Much research and experiences investigating food waste causes and drivers focus on one specific segment of the food supply chain and limit the analysis to the situation of one or few countries, while the few studies of wider geographical scope also target other relevant and diversified objectives (e.g., food waste definition, quantification, environmental and economic impacts, and recommendations for interventions). This study, carried out by a network of European institutions involved in research and initiatives against food waste, focuses on the analysis of a broad area, Europe, through a wide and systematic literature review and consultation with stakeholders in international focus groups. The food supply chain was divided into seven segments and three main contexts were defined for the examination of food waste sources: Technological, Institutional (related to organisational factors, i.e., business management, economy, legislation, and policy), and Social (related to consumers' behaviours and lifestyles). Results suggest a wide and multifaceted problem, interconnected across all stages of the food supply chain, from primary production, to final consumption. Within each context, the identified drivers have been grouped according to the possibilities and the type of interventions for food waste reduction. A final cross-contextual prioritization distinguished food waste sources related to (A) inherent characteristics of food; (B) social and economic factors; (C) individual non-readily changeable behaviours; (D) other priorities targeted by private and public stakeholders; (E) diversified factors, such as mismanagement, inefficient legislation, lack of awareness or information; and sub-optimal use of available technologies, which could be more promptly changed. Such diversification of causes calls for specific monitoring systems, targeted policy measures, and actions of individual stakeholders at each stage of the food supply chain.

Household Food Waste: A Case Study in Southern Italy

“…Strategies to reduce waste should take such differences into account in order to promote changes in food waste behaviour.Sustainability 2020, 12, 1495 2 of 13 the household level make it difficult for commercial actors as well as policy makers to develop effective food waste reduction campaigns [6].In order to reduce food waste in developed countries, it is necessary to gain an in-depth understanding of the factors determining food waste at the consumer level, both in the household as well as at the point of purchase. Identified social drivers connected to consumer behaviour and lifestyles are related to (a) unconscious preferences, such as preferences for certain aesthetic standards or food types, that can be difficult to modify; (b) individual behaviour that may be modifiable through information and strengthened awareness; and (c) sociodemographic factors [3,4,7].Regarding individual behaviour, consumers' routines related to shopping and consumption constitute one of the main drivers of food waste, such as food overprovisioning during shopping, overpreparation and incorrect storage [8]. Among the causes identified for overprovisioning, the literature includes bulk purchases but also marketing and sales strategies implemented by producers and retailers [7,9].…”

Food Waste Factors of Urban Albanian Consumers-A Multinomial Econometric Approach

“…Setti et al, (2016) point out that income influences amount of waste, but different group income consumers may behave differently for different food categories. Canali et al, (2017) emphasize that some of the more important drivers for waste are inherent characteristics of food; social and economic factors, individual non-readily changeable behaviors, priorities targeted by private and public stakeholders, diversified factors such as mismanagement and inefficient legislation, lack of awareness or information; and sub-optimal use of available technologies.…”

The Second Life of Food: An Assessment of the Social Impact of Food Redistribution Activities in Emilia Romagna, Italy

“…According to the European Food Banks Association from 2010 to 2016, the number of equivalent meals per day ensured by their member associations increased from about 700 million to over 1 billion, beneficiaries moved from 5 to 6.1 million, engaged people (social contracts, paid employees, volunteers) from almost 9000 to 16,400. The number of charities served moved from less than 28,000 to 37,200 [21].…”

“…Cities and regions are devising local policies to ensure food security and promote resilient food systems [8][9][10][11] while experiencing a growth of food recovery initiatives [4,12]. At the same time, food waste is exerting a pressing challenge in the design of sustainable food systems [13][14][15][16]. Recent studies suggested the relevance of food waste induced emissions, water consumption, land use, and related economic and social impacts: food waste represents the third emitter globally, with an estimated cost of about US$940 billion [17,18].…”

“…As the knowledge on food waste definition and scope boundaries, quantification and conditions that lead to its creation increases, policies, and policy proposals addressing its reduction are emerging. The array of interventions includes food donation and redistribution as policy instruments considering that food redistribution activities (FRAs) are increasingly recognized to have a pivotal role both in addressing food insecurity and preventing food surplus from being wasted [16,23,24]. FRAs include various types of organizations and initiatives that distribute edible food that is about to be wasted, directly or indirectly to food insecure people [19].…”