A Sum of Incidentals or a Structural Problem? The True Nature of Food Waste in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona

Abstract

Addressing the generation of food waste is a major challenge nowadays. An increasing interest in studying food waste generation has emerged over the last decade. However, little attention has been devoted to understanding the root of the problem by carrying out a whole-supply-chain analysis and applying multidimensional approaches. The aim of this paper was to identify the causes of food waste in the metropolitan region of Barcelona along the food supply chain, considering the relevant stakeholders’ perceptions. Moreover, we examined the circumstantial or structural nature of the identified causes. We conducted a qualitative study consisting of 24 in-depth interviews of key stakeholders in the region along the food supply chain from October 2014 to January 2015. The interviews were analyzed by content analysis, and the main results are presented here. We used a conceptual framework that differentiates among micro, meso, and macro causes to disentangle the nature of the causes. The results from this study show the great interest of regional stakeholders in the issue of the generation of food waste and provide a complete map of the causes of food waste in the metropolitan region. From our study, we advocate that food waste is not only a sum of incidentals but it a structural problem.

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Towards a Baseline for Food-Waste Quantification in the Hospitality Sector—Quantities and Data Processing Criteria

“…To approach and achieve the global directive to reduce food waste and overcome the structural problem of food waste, it is necessary to gain insights into where, why, and how much food and/or inedible associated parts are removed from the food supply chain [8]. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has recently released a methodology for monitoring food losses on global level in the supply chain [9], while an equivalent version covering the retail and consumer part of SDG 12.3 with a food-waste index is still under development.…”

Social Innovation for Food Security and Tourism Poverty Alleviation: Some Examples From China

“…Finally, the project highlights the impotence of the private sector in contributing to policymaking with regard to food security. The most effective socially innovative solutions incorporate perspectives from both the private and the public sectors ( Diaz-Ruiz et al, 2018 ). Consequently, the recommendations made in the project have and continue playing a significant role in identifying new ways of using food surpluses that would otherwise have gone to waste.…”