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Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 73219

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Claudia Giordano

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Interests: food waste; food policy and governance; sustainable food production and consumption
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Silvio Franco

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Guest Editor

Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organizations, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: sustainable development of local economic systems; indicators of environmental and social sustainability; impact evaluation of initiatives for food waste reduction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The topic of food waste is becoming increasingly studied, pushing the need for policies to deliver evidence-based results of their contribution to food waste reduction (as per the goals outlined in SDG 12.3). Household food waste is particularly relevant, as it is the largest fraction in comparison to other stages of the food supply chain, and it usually contributes to increasing the fraction of urban waste.

However, a majority of the national studies available are EU- and US-based, and a great heterogeneity of results is recorded within the UE as well, as a standardized methodology has only just been recently approved. We still do not know of any studies focused on the quantification and analysis of food waste drivers in large areas of the world, thus rendering the knowledge in the field as rather “eurocentric”. Moreover, the monitoring of policy measures is still largely unexplored at a scientific level.

The focus of this Special Issue titled “Household Food Waste: An International Perspective” is to collect up-to-date research articles that explore, examine, and deliver qualitative and quantitative information on food waste, based on new studies conducted all around the world. Case studies on small communities, municipalities, or national territories will be accepted. Studies enquiring into determinants, based on qualitative methodologies and approaches, are encouraged.

The guest editors will select high-quality research papers to proceed with based on blind peer reviews. Reviewers will be selected from researchers active in the field, whose works are present in international databases.

Within the framework described above, this Special Issue invites authors to contribute to the following fields (keywords):

Household food waste accounting;
Household food waste determinants at the psychological and cultural levels;
Household food waste reduction initiatives and evaluation of their impact;
Impact of COVID 19 restriction measures on household food waste generation
National plans for food waste prevention and reduction at the household stage

Dr. Claudia Giordano
Prof. Silvio Franco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

9 pages, 1446 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Household Food Waste from an International Perspective

by Claudia Giordano and Silvio Franco

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5122; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095122 - 03 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3918

Abstract

The food waste debate has flourished during the last years, leading to an impressive increase in the number of scientific publications [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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Research

Jump to: Editorial

21 pages, 703 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumption Behavior and Residential Food Waste during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in Brazil

by Valentina Gomes Haensel Schmitt, Mirza Marvel Cequea, Jessika Milagros Vásquez Neyra and Marcos Ferasso

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3702; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073702 - 26 Mar 2021

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 6418

Abstract

The objective of this research was to look into the self-reported food consumption and wastage behavior in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the motivations to prevent this waste. The data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Brazil, May 2020, using a self-administered questionnaire with 60 questions on food consumption behavior and characterization of food waste behaviors. The target audience comprised Brazilian residents responsible for household food purchases; out of 489 responses, 458 were considered valid. The main findings reported that regarding consumption behavior, there are no significant differences in relation to gender, education, and age. The surveyed population preferred shopping in person, despite the recommendation of social distancing, and reported activities to avoid food waste. This behavior suggests the importance of information and consumers’ education in making purchases and reducing waste, mainly amidst a crisis. The results suggest that intention to reduce waste, routines of food purchase in sales and management routines of leftovers or uneaten food are positively related to reducing the economic value of food waste. As a practical contribution, this study expands the understanding in one Latin American country regarding food consumption and wastage. The theoretical contribution leads to understanding of the behavior in times of crisis such as a pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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19 pages, 853 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Waste in Households in Poland—Attitudes of Young and Older Consumers towards the Phenomenon of Food Waste as Demonstrated by Students and Lecturers of PULS

by Lucyna Przezbórska-Skobiej and Paulina Luiza Wiza

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3601; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073601 - 24 Mar 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3645

Abstract

The article aims to compare various aspects of food waste in the context of rational food management using the example of two groups: students and employees of Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS). The survey was conducted on the current level of food wastage in the households of students and employees of PULS, involving 266 respondents, including 187 students (N₁) and 79 employees (N₂). The conducted research and analysis of the obtained results showed the differences between younger and older people in relation to proper food storage, appropriate use of food surplus, awareness of both consequences of food waste, and the existence of this problem is a consumer behavior. Both groups of surveyed consumers waste food, but students waste it more frequently and in larger quantities than the employees. This situation resulted from different consumer habits and attitudes towards food waste. The research indicated that employees are more effective in reducing food waste in their own households through better use of leftovers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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20 pages, 637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Citizens’ Food Habit Behavior and Food Waste Consequences during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain

by Berta Vidal-Mones, Héctor Barco, Raquel Diaz-Ruiz and Maria-Angeles Fernandez-Zamudio

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3381; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063381 - 18 Mar 2021

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 5886

Abstract

During the first COVID-19 wave in Spain, confining the population at home was seen as an effective way to prevent the disease from spreading. This limited mobility affected citizens’ routines at homes because it influenced their life habits, including food management. The main objective of this paper was to understand citizens’ food waste (FW) behavior during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Spain by understanding related food practices that could have influenced FW generation. An online survey was conducted from 14 May to 11 June, 2020; 6293 valid responses were collected and analyzed, and 95% of the participants declared not wasting more food than usual. On average, they reported wasting 234 g per household per week, which equals 88 g per capita. We found significant differences in the reported FW generation between participants regarding their age, gender, household composition, and employment status due to COVID-19. In addition, food-related behaviors such as buying more food than usual due to fear or anxiety, storing more food than before the lockdown, and improvising when buying groceries seemed to affect the FW reported by the participants. The paper ends by comparing the conclusions drawn by different works conducted in other countries for a similar purpose. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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35 pages, 10010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Waste and Social Practices in Australian Households

by Emily Keegan and Jessica K. Breadsell

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3377; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063377 - 18 Mar 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 10603

Abstract

Food waste is a critical sustainability issue, and the solutions, particularly in middle- to high-income countries, lie in shifting practices within households. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the research in an Australian context, provide insights from a social practice theory approach and understand the influence of growing your own food to waste production. The research is based on respondents completing a two-week food diary documenting food acquisition and disposal and then undertaking a survey on their food practices and attitudes to waste. This study finds that the preparation of meals and storage practices are critical towards the production of food waste. These practices can be shifted by focusing on upskilling and the introduction of new materiality or technologies. The acquisition of food is also a pivotal practice in which to intervene in order to reduce waste in other food practices in the household. Interventions, such as growing your own food, are recommended to shift food practices to reduce an output of waste to landfill. The research is limited by its reliance on self-reported data for food waste. However, the focus on social practices in food waste is novel in an Australian context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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15 pages, 1121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Household Food Waste Behavior in Japan

by Kun Qian, Firouzeh Javadi and Michikazu Hiramatsu

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9942; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239942 - 27 Nov 2020

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 7104

Abstract

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had various influences on people’s ordinary lives, including their thoughts and behaviors related to food consumption. Food waste has been cited as a serious issue with environmental, social, and economic consequences. In this study, we investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic altered the social consciousness and behavior related to food waste in Japan. We conducted a nationwide online-based survey and collected a cross-sectional dataset from 1959 adult respondents. The results showed that people in regions highly impacted by the pandemic reported a clearer understanding of the situation of their household food waste, more careful food preparation and purchasing, and were more strongly influenced to change their behaviors due to COVID-19. Further analyses revealed that thoughts and behaviors related to food waste significantly differed by sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender, household size, and employment status. This study also implied that the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged some improvements in peoples’ behaviors and thoughts with regard to food, such as paying attention to food waste, making efforts to reduce food waste, and attempting cooking by themselves at home. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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17 pages, 922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Waste Behavior among Romanian Consumers: A Cluster Analysis

by Cristina Bianca Pocol, Margaux Pinoteau, Antonio Amuza, Adriana Burlea-Schiopoiu and Alexandra-Ioana Glogovețan

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9708; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229708 - 20 Nov 2020

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5051

Abstract

The main objective of the current study was to conduct an investigation at the national level in order to identify types of consumers depending on their perception of food waste. To do this, an online survey was carried out on a sample of 2541 respondents. Using a K-means clustering model, three clusters of consumers were identified. Cluster 1, “Careless”, consumers who dispose of food and food waste carelessly, are people who come from rural areas or small cities and have a rather low level of education. They do not have much information on the subject of food waste and do not seem to consider it “a problem”. Cluster 2, “Precautious”, composed of responsible people who do not throw away food, are well-informed and consider that all actors in the agri-food chain have a share in the food waste problem. Those who belong to cluster 3, “Ignorant”, are mostly from urban areas and have a high level of education. They were not raised to prevent food waste and therefore lack such habits as adults. They have a fair awareness of this subject, but they do not consider themselves responsible for food waste. The results obtained indicate the need to continue the awareness and education campaigns initiated at governmental and civil society level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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15 pages, 281 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultural Influences on Fruit and Vegetable Food-Wasting Behavior in the European Union

by Corina Pelau, Roxana Sarbu and Daniela Serban

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9685; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229685 - 20 Nov 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4482

Abstract

In a context of increased world population and imbalanced access to resources, the concept of food waste has gained increased attention in the past years. The waste of food has a negative impact on the economy, the society and the environment. In order to reduce the quantities of wasted food, it is important to understand the factors and the situations in which food waste occurs. Several studies have shown that food waste happens mostly at the consumer level and that it is determined by a wide range of factors, such as socio-demographic characteristics and consumption patterns. The objective of this paper is to determine the impact of the national culture on the quantity of wasted fruit and vegetables. Based on secondary data, the panel regression analysis was applied for 28 European countries with the purpose of determining the influence of the cultural dimensions as described by Hofstede on the quantities of wasted fruit and vegetables. The results of the research show that the uncertainty avoidance of a culture complemented by the indulgence index influences the quantity of wasted fruit and vegetables, confirming that certain characteristics of the national culture are factors that affect the quantity of wasted food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

17 pages, 1367 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Movement Control Order (MCO) due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on Food Waste Generation: A Case Study in Klang Valley, Malaysia

by Muhammad Heikal Ismail, Tinia Idaty Mohd. Ghazi, Muhammad Hazwan Hamzah, Latifah Abd Manaf, Ramli Mohd Tahir, Ahadi Mohd Nasir and Ammar Ehsan Omar

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8848; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218848 - 25 Oct 2020

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 12495

Abstract

The outbreak of a neurological disorder was first discovered as a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China. The infection spread rapidly in China and throughout the world, including Malaysia. Malaysia recorded its initial case on 25 January 2020 with intensifying numbers since March 2020. Due to this uncertain circumstance, Malaysia has introduced the Movement Control Order (MCO) with the main aim of isolating the source of the COVID-19 outbreak, which was effective from 18 March 2020. The restriction has observed fewer vehicles on the road with industrial and commercial activities being suspended. The objective of the study is to quantify the effects of MCO to food waste generation in town and district areas of Klang Valley, Malaysia. Food waste generation data was derived from the Project Delivery Department, KDEB Waste Management on a daily basis before (19 February–17 March 2020) and during the MCO (18 March–14 April 2020) at 12 local authorities in Selangor, Malaysia. The data was obtained with the limitation of assumption that there is no waste compositional analysis to be conducted in 2020. Despite the stay-at-home order, food waste data showed a descriptive reduction of up to 15.1% during the MCO. Statistical analysis of food waste generation from one-way variance has shown that municipal and district local authorities recorded a significant reduction (p < 0.50) during the MCO. The food waste reduction during the MCO will deliver as the evidence-based results to push the need for policies in Malaysia as per the goals outlined in Sustainable Development Goals of global food loss and waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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20 pages, 463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Neighbourhood Food Environments and a Pay-as-You-Throw (PAYT) Waste Program Impact Household Food Waste Disposal in the City of Toronto

by Paul van der Werf, Kristian Larsen, Jamie A. Seabrook and Jason Gilliland

Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7016; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177016 - 28 Aug 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5219

Abstract

Household food waste has negative, and largely unnecessary, environmental, social and economic impacts. A better understanding of current household food waste disposal is needed to help develop and implement effective interventions to reduce food wasting. A four-season waste characterization study was undertaken with 200 single-family households across eight neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The City of Toronto provides residents with a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) waste program that includes a choice of four garbage cart sizes (Small [S], Medium [M], Large [L], Extra Large [XL]), with increasing annual user fees ($18.00–$411.00 CAD), as well as a green cart (organic waste) and blue cart (recycling). On average, each household disposed 4.22 kg/week of total food waste, 69.90% of which was disposed in the green cart, and disposal increased significantly (p = 0.03) by garbage cart size to L but not XL garbage carts. Of this total, 61.78% consisted of avoidable food waste, annually valued at $630.00–$847.00 CAD/household. Toronto’s PAYT waste program has been effective at diverting food waste into the green cart but not at reducing its generation. Higher median incomes were positively correlated, while higher neighbourhood dwelling and population density were negatively correlated, with total and avoidable food waste disposal. Regression analyses explained 40–67% of the variance in total avoidable food waste disposal. Higher supermarket density and distance to healthier food outlets were associated with more, while dwelling density was related to less, total and avoidable food waste disposal. Distance to fast food restaurants and less healthy food outlet density were both negatively associated with avoidable food waste disposal in the garbage and green cart, respectively. Avoidable food waste reduction interventions could include increasing garbage cart fees, weight-based PAYT, or messaging to households on the monetary value of avoidable food waste, and working with food retailers to improve how households shop for their food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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17 pages, 1532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics and Determinants of Domestic Food Waste: A Representative Diary Study across Germany

by Ronja Herzberg, Thomas G. Schmidt and Felicitas Schneider

Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4702; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114702 - 09 Jun 2020

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 6472

Abstract

As it is the case in many industrialized countries, household food waste accounts for a large share of total food waste in Germany. Within this study, the characteristics of edible and inedible domestic food waste, the reasons for discarding food and the potential influence of socio-demographic factors on food waste generation are assessed. A data set of 6853 households who participated in a diary study in 2016 and 2017 was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics, parametric tests, and linear regression. The results indicate that perishable products such as vegetables, fruits, and bread are mainly affected by disposal. Moreover, household food waste occurs due to quantity problems at purchase for small households and quantity problems at home for larger households and households with children. Despite statistically significant differences in food waste amounts between household lifecycle stages, age of the head of household, household size, and size category of the municipality, socio-demographic factors have a limited power in predicting a household’s food waste level. The study has important implications for food waste policy and research regarding the issues of food waste prevention measures, quantification methodologies, and monitoring implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Household Food Waste: From an International Perspective)

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