Abstract
Food wastage is a major challenge in the global food value chain. In an attempt to explain and better understand the determinants of food waste across the supply chain, this paper closely examines the Hospitality, Restaurants and Canteens/Cafeterias (HORECA) as well as food retail and wholesale sectors, as being interrelated with the final consumer at the post-harvest and post-processing levels. Data from 33 developed countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania were compiled from secondary sources and analyzed by means of a regression model in order to identify the macroeconomic factors contributing to generation of food waste in the HORECA industry at the national level. The results of our analysis suggest that a well-defined and inclusive legislative framework, awareness campaigns as well as fiscal incentives significantly reduce generation of food waste by an average of 17.6, 21.3 and 14.3%; respectively. Accordingly, these measures can be used in conjunction as effective schemes for controlling food wastage in the HORECA industry. On the other hand, non-legally binding initiatives by government authorities among other actors did not seem to have any significant impact on the food waste generated and quantities reported.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
GDP (current LCU) of 2013 taken from the World Bank Database
Data comprises the turnover for accommodation and food service activity, taken from Eurostat (sbs_na_1a_se_r2)
Data represents the estimated annual sales of accommodation and food services. Information is taken from the Monthly & Annual Retail Trade of United States Census Bureau database.
Data represents the Gross Domestic Product for the Accommodation and Food Services (NAICS 72) and are taken from the Canadian Industry Statistics (CIS)
Data represents sales of Food services (Otsuka 2015)
Data represents income generated by cafes and restaurants, catering businesses, accommodation services and clubs, pubs and taverns and bars. Data is for 2006–2007 for all components except for clubs, pubs and taverns and bars (2004–2005). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics- Hospitality Industries
References
Abiad, M. G., & Meho, L. I. (2018). Food loss and food waste research in the Arab world: A systematic review. Food Security, 10(2), 311–322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-018-0782-7.
Aramyan, L., & Valeva, N. (2016). The Netherlands – Country report on national food waste policy. The Netherlands: Retrieved from Wageningen UR – Food Biobased Research.
Ares, E., & Bolton, P. (2002). Waste incineration. Great Britain, Parliament: House of Commons, Library.
Aschemann-Witzel, J., de Hooge, I., Amani, P., Bech-Larsen, T., & Oostindjer, M. (2015). Consumer-related food waste: Causes and potential for action. Sustainability, 7(6), 6457–6477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7066457.
Bank, T. W. (2017). Gross national income per capita 2015, Atlas method and PPP. Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD
Beretta, C., Stoessel, F., Baier, U., & Hellweg, S. (2013). Quantifying food losses and the potential for reduction in Switzerland. Waste Management, 33(3), 764–773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2012.11.007.
Bond, M., Meacham, T., Bhunnoo, R., & Benton, T. G. (2013). Food waste within global food systems. A global food security report (www.foodsecurity.ac.uk). http://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/assets/pdfs/food-waste-report.pdf
Buzby, J. C., & Hyman, J. (2012). Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States. Food Policy, 37(5), 561–570.
Cappellini, B., & Parsons, E. (2012). Practising thrift at dinnertime: Mealtime leftovers, sacrifice and family membership. The Sociological Review, 60(S2), 121–134.
Chalak, A., Abou-Daher, C., Chaaban, J., & Abiad, M. G. (2016). The global economic and regulatory determinants of household generation of food waste: A cross-country analysis. Waste Management, 48, 418–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.11.040.
D'Agostino, R. B., Belanger, A. J., & D'agostino Jr., R. B. (1990). A suggestion for using powerful and informative tests of normality. American Statistician, 44(4), 316–321. https://doi.org/10.2307/2684359.
Di Muro, M., Wongprawmas, R., & Canavari, M. (2016). Consumers’ preferences and willingness-to-pay for misfit vegetables. Economia agro-alimentare.
Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC). (2010). National Waste Report 2010. Retrieved from Canberra, ACT:
Eriksson, M., Strid, I., & Hansson, P. A. (2016). Food waste reduction in supermarkets - net costs and benefits of reduced storage temperature. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 107, 73–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.11.022.
EU Parliament. (2012). European Parliament resolution of 19 January 2012 on how to avoid food wastage: Strategies for a more efficient food chain in the EU. EC, Brussels. Available online at: www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do .
European Commission. (2015). Good practices in food waste prevention and reduction- Awareness, information and education. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/food_waste/good_practices/awareness_information_education/index_en.htm
FAO. (2011). Global food losses and food waste. Retrieved from Rome, Italy:
FAO. (2013). Reducing the food wastage footprint. Retrieved from Rome, Italy:
FAO. (2014). Food wastage footprint full cost accounting-final report. Rome: FAO http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3991e.pdf.
FAO. (2015). The state of food insecurity in the world 2015. Meeting the 2015 international hunger targets: Taking stock of uneven progress. Retrieved from Rome, Italy:
Figueiredo, J. (2016). 2016 was a year to smile about for ‘ugly’ produce. Huffpost. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-figueiredo/2016-was-a-year-to-smile-_b_13620700.html. Accessed May 2018.
ForMat. (2012). Prevention of food waste - Presentation of the ForMat-project. Retrieved from http://www.nhomatogdrikke.no/getfile.php/ForMat/Engelsk%20presentasjon%20ForMat.pdf
Giles, D. (2011). Interpreting dummy variables in semi-logarithmic regression models: Exact distributional results (working paper). Victoria: University of Victoria, Department of Economics.
Gjerris, M., & Gaiani, S. (2013). Household food waste in Nordic countries: Estimations and ethical implications. Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics, 7(1), 6–23.
GMA/FMI. (2012). Food waste: Tier 1 assessment. Retrieved from USA: http://www.foodwastealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FWRA_BSR_Tier1_FINAL.pdf
Graham-Rowe, E., Jessop, D. C., & Sparks, P. (2014). Identifying motivations and barriers to minimising household food waste. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 84, 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.12.005.
Gujarati, D. N. (2003). Basic Econometrics (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gunders, D. (2012). Wasted: How America is losing up to 40 percent of its food from farm to fork to landfill. Natural Resources Defense Council.
Gustavsson, J., Cederberg, C., Sonesson, U., Otterdijk, R., & Meybeck, A. (2011). Global food losses and food waste– Extent, causes and prevention. Retrieved from Rome, Italy:
Halloran, A., Clement, J., Kornum, N., Bucatariu, C., & Magid, J. (2014). Addressing food waste reduction in Denmark. Food Policy, 49, 294–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.09.005.
Halvorsen, R., & Palmquist, R. (1980). The interpretation of dummy variables in semilogarithmic equations. American Economic Review, 70(3), 474–475.
Hodges, R. J., Buzby, J. C., & Bennett, B. (2011). Postharvest losses and waste in developed and less developed countries: Opportunities to improve resource use. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 149(S1), 37–45.
James, J. B., & Ngarmsak, T. (2011). Processing of Fresh Cut Tropical Fruits and Vegetables: A Technical Guide. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/i1909e/i1909e00.pdf:
Katajajuuri, J. M., Silvennoinen, K., Hartikainen, H., Heikkila, L., & Reinikainen, A. (2014). Food waste in the Finnish food chain. Journal of Cleaner Production, 73, 322–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.12.057.
Langelaan, H., & Da Silva, F. (2013). Technology options for feeding 10 billion people. Food Engineering, 1, 1–16.
Laznik, I. H. (2009). Waste and material flow: Organic kitchen waste. Retrieved from http://kazalci.arso.gov.si/?data=indicator&ind_id=331&lang_id=94#zadnje
Lipinski, B., Hanson, C., Lomax, J., Kitinoja, L., Waite, R., & Searchinger, T. (2013). Reducing food loss and waste [Working Paper, Installment 2 of Creating a Sustainable Food Future]. WRI, Washington, DC, June 2013. http://www.wri.org/sites/default/files/reducing_food_loss_and_waste.pdf
Lords, A. o. t. H. o. (2014). Counting the cost of food waste: EU food waste prevention .10th Report of Session 2013–14, HL Paper 154. London: Authority of the House of Lords.
Marthinsen, J., Sundt, P., Kaysen, O., & Kirkevaag, K. (2012). Prevention of food waste in restaurants, hotels, canteens and catering. Retrieved from Copenhagen: http://www.norden.org/sv/publikationer/publikationer/2012-537
Mason, L., Boyle, T., Fyfe, J., Smith, T., & Cordell, D. (2011). National Food Waste Data Assessment: Final Report. Retrieved from
Monier, V., Mudgal, S., & Escalon, V. (2011a). Preparatory study on food waste across EU 27. European Commission, bio intelligence service-scaling sustainable development, October 2010, Technical Report - 2010 - 054 http://ec.europa.eu
Monier, V., Mudgal, S., Escalon, V., O’Connor, C., Gibon, T., Anderson, G., & Montoux, H. (2011b). Final report- Preparatory study on food waste across EU 27. Retrieved from EU:
NetherlandsNutritionCentre. (2014). Consumer food waste. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/fw_lib_vc_sheet_voedselverspilling_en.pdf
O’Connor, C., Gheoldus, M., & Jan, O. (2014). Comparative study on EU member states’ legislation and practices on food donation, final report. Retrieved from France: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/resources/docs/comparative-study-on-eu-member-states-legislation-and-practices-on-food-donation_finalreport_010714.pdf
Oelofse, S. H., & Nahman, A. (2013). Estimating the magnitude of food waste generated in South Africa. Waste Management & Research, 31(1), 80–86.
Otsuka, M. (2015). Food service hotel restaurant institutional. Japan HRI Food service sector report 2014, USDA Foreign agricultural service. GAIN Report number: JA, 4519, 1–40.
Parfitt, J., Barthel, M., & Macnaughton, S. (2010). Food waste within food supply chains: Quantification and potential for change to 2050. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 365(1554), 3065–3081. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0126.
Pearson, D., Minehan, M., & Wakefield-Rann, R. (2013). Food waste in Australian households: Why does it occur. The Australasian-Pacific Journal of Regional Food Studies, 3, 118–132.
Platt, B., Goldstein, N., Coker, C., & Brown, S. (2014). State of composting in the US. Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
Priefer, C., Jörissen, J., & Bräutigam, K. R. (2013). Technology options for feeding 10 billion people -options for cutting food waste. Science and Technology Options Assessment, European Parliament, Brussels, October 2013. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/513515/IPOL-JOIN_ET(2013)513515_EN.pdf
Priefer, C., Jorissen, J., & Brautigam, K. R. (2016). Food waste prevention in Europe - a cause-driven approach to identify the most relevant leverage points for action. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 109, 155–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.03.004.
Quested, T. E., Marsh, E., Stunell, D., & Parry, A. D. (2013). Spaghetti soup: The complex world of food waste behaviours. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 79, 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.04.011.
Rutten, M., Nowicki, P., Bogaardt, M.-J., & Aramyan, L. (2013). Reducing food waste by households and in retail in the EU; A prioritisation using economic, land use and food security impacts: LEI, part of Wageningen UR. https://edepot.wur.nl/290135. Accessed July 2017.
Soethoudt, H., & Timmermans, T. (2013). Food waste monitor, mid-term report. Wageningen: Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research.
Stancu, V., Haugaard, P., & Lähteenmäki, L. (2016). Determinants of consumer food waste behaviour: Two routes to food waste. Appetite, 96, 7–17.
Stenmarck, Å., Hanssen, O. J., Silvennoinen, K., Katajajuuri, J.-M., & Werge, M. (2011). Initiatives on prevention of food waste in the retail and wholesale trades. Retrieved from Copenhagen: http://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A701989&dswid=-3225
Stuart, T. (2009). Waste: Uncovering the global food scandal. Kirkus Reviews, 77(16), 864–865.
Schweiz, W. (2012). Lebensmittelverluste in der Schweiz-Ausmass und Handlungsoptionen. WWF Schweiz, Zürich.
The Ministry of Agriculture, N. a. F. Q. (2008). Policy Document on Sustainable Food - Towards sustainable production and consumption of food. The Hague: Prins Clauslaan 8, P.O. Box 20401 | 2500 EK.
University Stuttgart-Institute for Sanitary Engineering Water Quality and Solid Waste Management (ISWA). (2012). Determination of discarded food and proposals for a minimization of food wastage in Germany. Stuttgart: ISWA.
Van Boxstael, S., Devlieghere, F., Berkvens, D., Vermeulen, A., & Uyttendaele, M. (2014). Understanding and attitude regarding the shelf life labels and dates on pre-packed food products by Belgian consumers. Food Control, 37, 85–92.
Verghese, K., Lewis, H., Lockrey, S., & Williams, H. (2013). The role of packaging in minimising food waste in the supply chain of the future. Melbourne: RMIT University.
Verghese, K., Lewis, H., Lockrey, S., & Williams, H. (2015). Packaging's role in minimizing food loss and waste across the supply chain. Packaging Technology and Science, 28(7), 603–620. https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2127.
Viel, D., & Prigent, P. (2011). Food wastage study mid-term report. Paris: Ministry of Economy, Finances and Employment and Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing.
Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). (2013). Household food and drink waste in the United Kingdom 2012. London: WRAP.
Waste Not Consulting. (2013). Summary of existing information on domestic food waste in New Zealand. Auckland: [Living document – Version Final 1.1].
Watson, M., & Meah, A. (2013). Food, waste and safety. Negotiating conflicting social anxieties into the practices of domestic provisioning. The Sociological Review, 60, 102–120.
WRAP. (2007). Understanding food waste Banbury, United Kingdom, March 2007. http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/FoodWasteResearchSummaryFINALADP29_3__07.pdf
WRAP. (2015). Strategies to achieve economic and environmental gains by reducing food waste. Banbury, UK. http://static.newclimateeconomy.report/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/WRAP-NCE_Economic-environmental-gains-food-waste.pdf. Accessed July 2017.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the University Research Board (URB) at the American University of Beirut and the National Council for Scientific Research-Lebanon.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chalak, A., Abou-Daher, C. & Abiad, M.G. Generation of food waste in the hospitality and food retail and wholesale sectors: lessons from developed economies. Food Sec. 10, 1279–1290 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-018-0841-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-018-0841-0