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Food Waste and Consumer Ethics

Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics

Synonyms

Consumption; Environment; Food loss; Justice; Nature

Introduction: Food Losses and Food Waste (Definitions)

The ethical issues related to food losses and food waste are very complex and to a large degree dependent upon at which part in the food supply chain they are identified. In this entry for reasons of clarity and space, the emphasis is placed on food waste occurring at consumer level and mainly on the discussion of the ethical responsibilities that can be said to exist at this stage. This can be justified as the largest percentage of waste occurs at consumer level. It is, however, important to remember that this waste is to varying degrees dependent on other factors such as retail strategies, production limitations, etc.

The definition of food waste is a contentious subject and often developed on a situational basis; definitions of food waste vary in what food waste consists of, how it is produced, at which stage of the food supply chain it originates, and where or what...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Danish Centre for Bioethics and Risk Assessment, Institute of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 25, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    Dr. Mickey Gjerris

  2. Department of Agricultural and Food Science, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Dr. Silvia Gaiani

Authors
  1. Dr. Mickey Gjerris
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  2. Dr. Silvia Gaiani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mickey Gjerris .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University Dept. Philosophy, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

    Paul B. Thompson

  2. University of North Texas Dept. Philosophy & Religion Studies, Denton, Texas, USA

    David M. Kaplan

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Gjerris, M., Gaiani, S. (2014). Food Waste and Consumer Ethics. In: Thompson, P., Kaplan, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_99-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_99-2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6167-4

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Food Waste and Consumer Ethics
    Published:
    27 December 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_99-3

  2. Original

    Food Waste and Consumer Ethics
    Published:
    10 April 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_99-2

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