Food flows in the United Kingdom: The potential of surplus food redistribution to reduce waste

Facchini, Elisa; Iacovidou, Eleni; Gronow, Jan R.; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

doi:10.1080/10962247.2017.1405854

Cited by 63 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The scope of the present study is to analyse the challenges, opportunities and trade-offs related to surplus food redistribution (step 1), in the UK (step 2). A food mass flow analysis is available in Facchini et al (2018); here we provide an insight into the avoidable food waste produced that could be distributed as food surplus in the FSC (step 3). Although the mapping of monetary flows was excluded due to the complexity of the FSC combined with time limitations, the stakeholders involved in the FSC were identified (step 4).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food waste accounts for one-third of all the food produced annually for global human consumption (FAO, 2013). There are two fundamental issues related to that: (a) the fact that almost 1 billion people suffer from food poverty; and (b) the profound negation of food’s embedded value (Facchini et al, 2018; Kummu et al, 2012). Embedded value may refer to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, chemical nutrients, fuels, energy and freshwater consumption associated with food production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption, as well as the related social and economic value (Kummu et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Opportunities, challenges and trade-offs with decreasing avoidable food waste in the UK

et al. 2021

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Around 6 million tonnes of edible food are being wasted (post-farm gate) in the UK each year. This fraction of edible wasted food is known as avoidable food waste. In a circular economy food is a valuable resource that must be captured at all stages of the food supply chain and, where possible, redistributed for consumption. This can prevent avoidable food waste generation, and dissipation of food’s multidimensional value that spans environmental, economic, social, technical and political/organisational impacts. While the importance and benefits of surplus food redistribution have been well documented in the global literature, there are still barriers that prevent perfectly edible food from being wasted. This study looks at the main stages of the food supply chain, and amasses the opportunities, challenges and trade-offs associated with surplus food redistribution to the UK economy. It highlights points in the food system where interventions can be made, to improve food’s circularity and sustainability potential. Stakeholder interrelations, regulatory and socio-economic aspects are discussed in relation to their influence on decreasing avoidable food waste. The main output from this work is a diagrammatic depiction of where challenges and trade-offs occur along the food supply chain, and how policy and socio-economic reforms are needed to maximise avoidable food waste prevention, and the surplus avoidable food redistribution in the food supply chain for social benefit.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities, challenges and trade-offs with decreasing avoidable food waste in the UK

et al. 2021

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“…The most common metric reported, used in 14 studies, was the amount of food recovered by weight [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. Comparison across studies is challenging because the time periods examined are not necessarily comparable due to seasonality and other factors.…”

Section: Outcomes: Food Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…None explained whether or how data collectors were trained or data collection methods standardized. Several authors relied on participants surveys and interviews to provide estimates of food recovered, rather than measuring quantities directly [23,27,32]. One article used a 41-item validated instrument, the Organizations Involved in Food Rescue Nutrition Survey, to collect this survey data [27].…”

Section: Outcomes: Food Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Rescue Intervention Evaluations: A Systematic Review

Hecht

Neff

2019

Sustainability

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Food rescue, the practice of gathering food that could otherwise be wasted and redirecting it for human consumption, represents a critical opportunity to improve food security and reduce waste. As global interest in reducing hunger and food waste grows, better insight is needed to assess and compare the effectiveness of different models of food rescue. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies evaluating food rescue interventions with the aim of synthesizing findings and comparing methodologies. We searched PubMed, Academic Search Ultimate, and Science Citation Index for studies published worldwide, in English, through June 2019. Studies were included that: a) evaluated an existing or proposed food rescue intervention and, b) quantitatively or qualitatively measured the intervention impact. All nineteen included studies were observational and the intervention types ranged widely. The most commonly reported metric was the weight of food recovered. Few studies reported client outcome measures. The included studies suggested promising effects of food rescue interventions, including positive return on investment, decreased environmental burden, large quantities of food rescued and clients served, and high stakeholder satisfaction. Comparison across studies was challenging, however, due to inconsistent metrics and insufficiently detailed methodology. This review documents a need for additional evaluation of food rescue interventions and recommends a standardized methodology. Additional dialogue among key stakeholders is warranted to develop consistent, meaningful metrics to assess food rescue.

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“…which could have been avoided (Facchini et al 2017). Although, actions have led to a reduction of 1.6 million tonnes in the UK's annual food waste arisings compared to 2007, there is still much to do (WRAP 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

A multi-criteria sustainability assessment framework: development and application in comparing two food waste management options using a UK region as a case study

Iacovidou

Voulvoulis

2018

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Preventing food wastage is a key element of sustainable resource management. But as food waste is still generated at high volumes, priority is placed on its proper management as a resource, maximising sustainability benefits. This study, by integrating a multi-criteria decision analysis with a sustainability assessment approach, develops a screening and decision support framework for comparing the sustainability performance of food waste management options. A structured process for selecting criteria based on the consideration of environmental, economic and social aspects related to region-specific food waste system planning, policy and management has been developed. Two food waste management options, namely the use of food waste disposal units, which grind food waste at the household's kitchen sink and discharge it to the sewer, and the anaerobic co-digestion of separately collected food waste with sewage sludge, were selected for comparison due to their potential to create synergies between local authorities, waste and water companies, with local circumstances determining which of the two options to adopt. A simplified process used for assessing and comparing the two food waste management options in the Anglian region in the UK, indicated that there are benefits in using the framework as a screening tool for identifying which option may be the most sustainable. To support decision-making, a detailed analysis that incorporates stakeholders' perspectives is required. An additional use of the framework can be in providing recommendations for optimising food waste management options in a specific region, maximising their sustainability performance.

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Food flows in the United Kingdom: The potential of surplus food redistribution to reduce waste

Cited by 63 publications

References 13 publications

Opportunities, challenges and trade-offs with decreasing avoidable food waste in the UK

Opportunities, challenges and trade-offs with decreasing avoidable food waste in the UK

Food Rescue Intervention Evaluations: A Systematic Review

A multi-criteria sustainability assessment framework: development and application in comparing two food waste management options using a UK region as a case study

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