Household Food Waste Solutions for Behavioral Economists and Marketers

ABSTRACT

Household food waste originates in three predictable stages – when shopping, storing, and serving. That is, food can be purchased and never prepared, prepared and never served, or served and never eaten. Building on behavioral economics insights, this framework focuses on why consumers waste food in these three stages and how marketers can help consumers reduce food waste and thereby help them get more value from their products by enjoying them more and wasting them less. For cost-conscious consumers, wasting less means saving more. For profit-conscious marketers, wasting less means making more profit.     

Wasted Positive Intentions: The Role of Affection and Abundance on Household Food Waste

This qualitative study, grounded theory oriented, identifies familial affection and preference for abundance as major drivers of wasted food in lower-middle income American families. These positive intentions provide an improved understanding of household food waste, a problem with high environmental impact and moral implications. Based on empirical data collected with twenty caregivers via in-depth interviews, observations, and analysis of photos, this study provides novel explanations, such as on how stockpiling comfort foods in abundance – a form of both boosting positive self-emotions and showing affection for kids – can promote more wasted food. Other antecedents identified include multiplicity of choices, convenience, procrastination and unplanned routines. In sum, this research identifies a negative outcome of affection and food abundance in the family context, while providing a theoretically relevant general framework to help understand the food waste phenomenon. Authors suggest increasing the awareness of nutritional gatekeepers through behavioral economics principles.     

Creating Value for Customers,Clients, Partners and Society: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Food Waste

ABSTRACT

Roughly one-third of edible food produced in the world is wasted, that is, it is never consumed by humans, despite the persistent demands for nutrition throughout the world. The American Marketing Association defines marketing as “…the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.” When it comes to food, an increasing number of these key stakeholders question how a global marketing system that routinely wastes a startling fraction of its product comports with “…value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large,” and whether the food marketing system can do more to sustainably convert scarce planetary resources into global nutrition. We introduce the articles in this special issue, which provide an intellectual and empirical basis for exploring how the global marketing system generates a substantial amount of food waste and how the food marketing system can do more to reduce the amount of wasted food.     

Estimating a Local Food Waste Baseline

ABSTRACT

This article estimates the amounts of food that is discarded, diverted, and landfilled in Minnesota by comparing and applying approaches and statistics from selected national, regional, and local studies. Our preferred estimates suggest 2.1 million tons of food is discarded in Minnesota, of which 60% is diverted through recovery and recycling efforts. The remaining 834 thousand tons are landfilled. This landfilled amount, considered as “food waste,” is smaller than the 1.3 million tons calculated using the ReFED (2016) methods, but its estimated distribution across the food supply chain is similar. Residential losses account for the largest proportion of food waste landfilled (43%). The processing and manufacturing stage discards the largest proportion of food (36%), but generates the smallest amount landfilled because of a high diversion factor. The range of estimates obtained from various methods highlights the complexities in choosing appropriate assumptions, factors, and datasets when calculating food waste baseline amounts.     

Food waste paradox: antecedents of food disposal in low income households

This article aims to identify antecedents of food waste among lower‐middle class families – a paradox, given the financial constraints this population faces. The importance of this research is evident in escalating environmental pressures for better use of our planet's scarce resources. Given that most of the world is low‐income, any behavioral change in this population is likely to have a considerable impact. Empirical data were collected from 14 lower‐middle income Brazilian households, based on observations, in‐depth interviews, photographs and a focus group (n = 6). Five major categories of food waste antecedents were identified: (1) excessive purchasing, (2) over‐preparation, (3) caring for a pet, (4) avoidance of leftovers and (5) inappropriate food conservation. Several subcategories were also found, including impulse buying, lack of planning and preference for large packages. Surprisingly, findings show that strategies used to save money – such as buying groceries in bulk, monthly shopping trips, preference for supermarkets and cooking from scratch – actually end up generating more food waste. This mitigates the savings made during the purchasing phase.     

Waste Not,Want Not: A Case Study on Food Waste in Restaurants of Lahore,Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Recently, there is growing focus on quantifying food waste problem and analyzing its causes due to an imminent challenge: feed nine billion people by 2050. Among developing countries, we focus on Pakistan which has the sixth largest population in the world and faces serious issues of food insecurity and malnourishment. Astoundingly, despite the gravity of the situation the available research on the issue is almost non-existent. Here, in this first-of-its-kind study for Pakistan we attempt to measure the quantum of food wastage and study its underlying reasons across restaurants in the country’s second largest urban center, Lahore, which is also popularly designated as “the culinary capital of Pakistan”. Segmenting restaurants according to the niche markets they target—as high-end, medium-end, and low-end—and using actual measures of daily wastage, we find overproduction and liability concerns as the prime reasons of excess food preparation and its improper disposal.     

流通环节食品检测的问题和决策

随着近年来我国各地不断频发的食品安全质量问题,越来越多的人开始逐渐的关注食品的安全质量问题,而公众对于食品安全问题的担忧,也逐渐造成了一定的社会隐忧。由于民众的生活水平不断地提高,人们对于生活中食品安全的考量越来越敏感。所以,食品流通环节的质量检测逐渐的引起人们的关注,食品检测工作作为一项繁杂的工作也存在着很多问题,本文旨在探寻食品检测中存在的问题,并加以商讨寻找应对措施。     

The Impact of Eco-Design Packaging on Food Waste Avoidance: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Eco-design packaging is a potential tool to reduce food waste. However, the absence of a theoretical basis regarding the relationships between eco-design packaging and consumer food waste behavior obscures the social impact of this packaging. This study assesses research linking eco-design packaging and food waste avoidance from a consumer perspective. The authors analyze 22 articles in top-tier journals, and conclude that consumer perceptions of eco-design packaging could reduce food waste. Results lead to a conceptual model of the mechanism whereby consumer perceptions of eco-design packaging influence food waste avoidance intentions.     

Disclosure and assessment of unrecorded food waste at retail stores

Reducing food waste at stores is a huge challenge for retailers, that are called to improve the efficiency of their operations in order to reduce the quantity of food that goes discarded. Some studies suggest that part of the food products removed from sale are not recorded as waste, but the quantity and features of this unrecorded food waste is largely unknown. The underestimation of retail food waste data hinders the effectiveness of actions against food waste at the store level, as managers may build their decisions on unreliable information. In this study we directly measure the waste of 9 food categories in a panel of 13 supermarkets in Italy. An improved recording practice was applied during the 12 months of the study, allowing to detect all the food wasted, including what usually remains unrecorded. By comparing the data gathered during the study with those recorded at the same stores prior the application of the improved recording routine, meaningful quantities of unrecorded food waste emerge for many food categories, especially fruits and vegetables, packed cold cuts and groceries. The rate of food waste in value raises from 1.00% to 1.35% on comparable periods, as a result of the implementation of the improved recording routine. However, the rate of food waste in value decreases during the study period, suggesting that a more accurate recording procedure may sensitize the staff over the issue of food waste, thus preventing to some extent its generation. A new model of food waste recording is therefore proposed, with a meaningful potential to improve the quality of the data available to store managers and, at the same time, to reduce the economic losses due to in-store food waste.     

Understanding Competition across Retail Distribution Channels of Health and Wellness Food Products in India

This study aims to analyze the retail channel structure and level of competition across retailers in distributing health and wellness food products in India. Compound annual growth rate (CAGR), analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) have been used to analyze the data. It is evident from the analysis that level of competition varies across the retail channels of health and wellness food products and has been increasing over the years. The study provides valuable insights to the companies involved in producing and marketing of health and wellness food products for an effective channel distribution strategy.     

The Quality Dimensions of Internet Retail Food Purchasing

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study examines relevant factors affecting consumers' evaluation of product and service quality in the context of Internet retail food purchasing. A total of 489 anecdotes, written by online consumers based on their own shopping experience, were collected and content analyzed. In turn, 18 quality dimensions and 58 sub-attributes were identified. The asymmetric effect of positive and negative attribute-level performances on consumer dis/satisfaction was discussed. The impact of two delivery strategies on consumers' perceived quality was also examined. Finally, managerial implications and recommendations were provided in order to pave the way for possible improvement of the quality of Internet retail food purchasing and, in turn, consumer satisfaction.     

Food waste in the retail sector: A survey-based evidence from Central and Eastern Europe

This paper explores the issue of food waste in the Lithuanian retail sector. A questionnaire survey was designed in order to collect the relevant data from both the largest retail chains with stores around the country and companies with small-scale stores in rural areas. The present case is interesting as the literature on Central and Eastern European countries is scarce in the sense of the quantification of food waste. In this paper, the amounts of food waste among different food product categories are discussed and then extrapolated to approximate food waste in retail trade for Lithuania by using sales revenue as a key parameter. The results suggest that food waste in the Lithuanian retail sector amounts to 36.4 thousand tonnes or 13.0 kg per capita per year. Fruits and vegetables account for more than a half (63%), whereas meat (products) come next representing some 9% of food waste. Therefore, these products can be considered as the major targets for valorisation schemes and other measures aimed at mitigation of food waste.     

Meanings of Food among Polish and American Young Women

Food carries different meanings across cultures and times. This study aimed to explore the meanings of food among young women in Poland and the United States using a qualitative approach. The findings show that, in both countries, women associate food with health, pleasure, and socializing, but overall Polish women are less emotional about food. More specifically, in the United States, women associate food with love, their identities, and have more conflictual feelings about food, whereas in Poland women associate food with creativity. The study discusses marketing implications of the results.     

罐头食品杀菌技术研究现状

在食品加工的过程中,杀菌技术有效地使罐头食品安全得到保障,在一定程度上让细菌、霉菌等微生物对其的损伤降低。本文分析了各类杀菌技术对本国罐头食品领域产生的作用,一定程度上改进了罐头食品的质量和营养,展示了现代高效灭菌技术在罐头食品领域中的良好前景。     

Do discounted food products end up in the bin? An investigation into the link between deal‐prone shopping behaviour and quantities of household food waste

Household food waste is considered to be the largest share of food waste along the food supply chain. Given that its recoverability is also more challenging compared to food waste in other stages of the chain, most studies on household food waste adopt a pre‐emptive approach by aiming to identify and address consumer beliefs, attitudes and actions that are linked to food waste. In scientific literature, household food waste has often been studied in relation to the habit of purchasing discounted food products (DFP). However, findings have been contradictory. Specifically, while some authors found that deal‐prone consumers are usually of lower income and therefore display a wiser and more attentive attitude towards grocery shopping, other authors reported that the purchase of discounted products was usually linked to compulsive shopping, hence resulting in higher food waste quantities at home. Due to these discrepant findings, a definitive answer on the impact of DFP on household food waste does not currently exist in the literature. This paper analyses the correlation between the purchase of DFP and weekly household food waste quantities. To do so, we examine (a) the results of a food waste diary experiment carried out on a representative sample of 385 households in Italy in February 2017, and (b) the results of a 23‐items Computer Assisted Web Interview survey administered to the same householders, in which shopping habits were investigated. Results revealed no evidence of either a positive or negative relationship between the purchase of DFP and household food waste quantities. Frequency of grocery shopping was the only variable found to have a significant impact on household food waste quantities.     

城市可持续发展思路下废旧家电回收模式探讨

随着国家对城市废旧家电所带来的经济问题和社会问题的普遍关注,废旧家电回收问题成为非常值得研究的重要课题。应用城市可持续发展理论,从企业和政府两个层面提出我国城市管理废旧家电回收问题的思路和对策,以期为我国解决废旧家电给城市发展所带来的环境和资源问题提供合理化建议。     

Characteristics of food‐wasting consumers in the Czech Republic

This paper investigates food waste at the consumer stage of the food chain. The authors conducted a questionnaire survey with 259 respondents to identify the key characteristics of food‐wasting consumers and to suggest strategies to improve food‐wasting behaviour. The results of the survey confirmed that the rate at which food is wasted depends on the age, economic status and education of the person managing food in a household, on the household's income per person and on total household income. Younger people, students, economically active people and people from higher‐income households (both per household and per person) waste more, while pensioners waste much less than other groups. However, the sex of the food manager is not associated with food waste. These demographic characteristics should be considered when designing consumer education campaigns focussed on changing consumer motivation and behaviour. This paper also recommends other solutions tailored for specific demographic groups: Younger people and students may be influenced by the actions of opinion leaders within social networks, and technical devices enabling better food management could help them reduce waste. Supporting work‐life balance, broadening the network of food delivery services and implementing corporate initiatives that support food waste prevention could help economically active people reduce their food waste. Additionally, offers of ready‐to‐eat food should be expanded for people with higher incomes.     

关于食品添加剂与食品安全的研究

随着人们生活水平的提高,饮食安全逐渐成为人们关注的重点问题之一,特别是食品中的添加剂,一直是备受人们关注的食品安全问题。为了帮助人们更好地了解食品添加剂,进一步保证人们的正常食品安全,根据笔者自身多年的工作经验,总结了当前比较常见的一些食品添加剂,并对其作用和应用现状进行了简单的介绍,然后对当前存在的食品安全问题提出几点建议,以期有助于我国人民改善当前食品安全问题。     

出口食品生产企业信息化管理初探

我国出口食品生产企业的数据管理大多数都停留在纸质文档管理的阶段,而食品生产过程原辅料繁多、加工过程复杂,传统的数据管理方式既难以适应现代化的生产,也不利于食品的追溯追踪,影响食品安全。本文从出口食品生产企业信息化管理的角度出发,详细分析成都地区出口食品生产企业的生产经营特点以及在信息化管理方面存在的相关问题。根据相关的特点和问题,提出出口食品生产企业信息化管理的总体规划、建设目标以及相关细则。旨在通过建立信息化的数据管理手段,实现对食品生产企业的现代化管理,有效实现食品整个环节的追溯和追踪,保障食品安全。