Food waste perceptions and reported behaviours during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

An increasing corpus of data demonstrated the disruptive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food consumption habits, particularly food waste, but the Balkan area is often overlooked. Accordingly, this study investigates the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer knowledge and reported behaviours linked to food waste in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research was based on an online survey with 2425 participants using the Google forms platform from 10 April to 10 May 2020. This period coincided with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Consumers’ behaviours regarding where and how often they buy food, their attitude towards food labels, food provision and particularly the amounts and values of food waste and how they handle it were investigated. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics methods, and the significance of the association between variables was determined using nonparametric and multivariate statistical tests. The study’s findings revealed that (i) Bosnia has a low rate of household food waste and a favourable attitude towards food waste prevention, (ii) the majority of the respondents are familiar with the most common expiry labels, notably ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ and (iii) consumers adjusted their buying and consumption patterns due to the pandemic. The findings of this research are essential for developing evidence-based policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the post-pandemic recovery period since they are unique to that country. Indeed, the crisis’ lessons and insights may be used to help move towards more sustainable consumption habits.

Regional Agriculture and Food Systems Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the Near East and North Africa Region

“…Effects on food security were especially severe in emerging low-and middle-income nations, affecting all pillars (namely availability, access, utilization, and stability) [31]. Furthermore, according to many studies [31][32][33][34][35], the COVID-19 pandemic affected consumers' eating, shopping, and interaction with food. Indeed, the pandemic induced changes in food purchase modes across the globe; for instance, many people reduced the number of shopping trips during the lockdown and opted to buy more on each trip to minimize their exposure to the virus during store visits.…”

How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact consumers’ food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices? A multi-country study on the omicron variant

“…According to previous studies conducted in many countries of the Balkans region (Ben Hassen et al, 2021c;Berjan et al, 2022;Va sko et al, 2022) and Russia (Ben Hassen et al, 2021a), consumers' eating, shopping and interaction with food changed during the first wave of COVID-19. Indeed, one major change is the shift in food purchase modality, with consumers reducing the number of shopping trips and opting to buy more on each trip to minimise their exposure to the virus during store visits.…”

“…According to previous studies conducted in many countries of the Balkans region (Ben Hassen et al ., 2021c; Berjan et al ., 2022; Vaško et al ., 2022) and Russia (Ben Hassen et al. , 2021a), consumers’ eating, shopping and interaction with food changed during the first wave of COVID-19.…”

Food loss and waste reduction – a new challenge for all stakeholders in food supply chain

“…Обим и узроци губитака и отпада хране у БиХУ И у овом случају, евидентно је да је на почетку периода објављиван по један рад годишње, а у задњој години четири рада из шест земаља региона (Србија, Сјеверна Македоније, Албанија, Црна Гора и Босна и Херцеговине). Већина радова бави се питањем отпада хране на нивоу домаћинстава(Vaško et al 2020;Ben Hassen et al 2021;Berjan et al 2021;Vasko et al 2022;Vaško et al 2023;Ben Hassen et al 2023).У БиХ, као и у већини мање развијених земаља, присутан је дефицит истраживања на тему губитака и отпада хране. Слиједећи логику приказану на Сл.10.2.…”