scholarly journals Eat or Throw Away? Factors Differentiating High Food Wasters from Low Food Wasters

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10741
Author(s):  
Ovidija Eičaitė ◽  
Gitana Alenčikienė ◽  
Ingrida Pauliukaitytė ◽  
Alvija Šalaševičienė

More than half of food waste is generated at the household level, and therefore, it is important to tackle and attempt to solve the problem of consumer food waste. This study aimed to identify factors differentiating high food wasters from low food wasters. A large-scale survey was conducted in Lithuania. A total of 1001 respondents had participated in this survey and were selected using a multi-stage probability sample. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression modelling was used to analyse the effect of socio-demographics, food-related behaviours, attitudes towards food waste, and knowledge of date labelling on levels of food waste. Impulse buying, inappropriate food preparation practices, non-consumption of leftovers, lack of concern about food waste, and worry about food poisoning were related to higher food waste. On the other hand, correct planning practices and knowledge of date labelling were related to lower food waste. The findings of this study have practical implications for designing interventions aimed at reducing consumer food waste.

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 27-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang-Tong Zhan ◽  
Hui Xu ◽  
Yun-Min Chen ◽  
Fan Lü ◽  
Ji-Wu Lan ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Falasconi ◽  
Clara Cicatiello ◽  
Silvio Franco ◽  
Andrea Segrè ◽  
Marco Setti ◽  
...  

Reducing food waste is globally considered as a key challenge in developing sustainable food systems. Although most food waste is generated at the household level, consumers hardly recognize their responsibility, and the factors underpinning their perception of the quantity of food wasted at home are still unclear. This paper aims to fill this gap by analyzing the results of a large-scale survey conducted in Italy. The perceived quantity of household food waste was measured through a Likert scale and analyzed by means of a logistic regression against a set of predictors, including food waste motivations, perception of the effects of food waste, and sociodemographic variables. As expected, the perceived quantity of food waste declared by respondents was very low. Among the main determinants, food shopping habits and the level of awareness about the reasons why food is wasted played a key role. In contrast, the perception of the environmental effects of food waste seemed to be less important. Differences among subsamples recruited in different areas of Italy were detected, suggesting that further studies, as well as awareness-raising policies, should also consider context-related variables.


Author(s):  
Tawfik M Hassan ◽  
Manal M Alkadrawy

Background: Consumer behaviors at the household level have an impact on the quantity of food waste and the economic resources of the family and the country. This study aimed to assess food waste in a random sample of the Libyan community. Methods: A questionnaire was designed for the study and distributed randomly through social media, short message, e-mails, and via face to face interviews from November 26 to December 21, 2019. Results: Forty percent of the respondents used a shopping list for food; while 15% of the respondents discarded food. The percentage of monthly expenditure on food was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with shopping list, income, education level, and employment. Meanwhile, the quantity of food waste was associated (P < 0.05) with education level and place of living. Moreover, the economic value of food waste was associated (P < 0.05) with the shopping list. The bread was the most food waste commodity followed by vegetables and pasta. The quantity of discarded food accounted for 2661 tons/year with an estimated value of 163 million Libyan dinars/year. Conclusion: To reduce household food waste by the Libyan community it is required to improve the quality of bread and raise consumer awareness of the impact of food waste on the environment, economy, and society. This could be achieved through mass media extension programs as well as seminars and workshops.


2020 ◽  
pp. 140-148
Author(s):  
Md. Kumail Naqvi ◽  
Mrinal Anthwal ◽  
Ravindra Kumar

Biogas is the product of anaerobic vitiation of biodegradable matter. This paper focuses on the need of alternative and green sources of energy at a household level and how biogas produced from the everyday organic waste has the potential and possibility to replace LPG cylinders at houses, shops etc. and empower us to step towards an eco-friendly future. The purpose this small-scale experiment has been to find the perfect input matter that is easy to acquire and which produces the maximum amount of gas from minimum input and within small period of waste retention. Four different types of input waste material containing different quantities of cow dung and kitchen food waste were studied through individual experimental setups. Waste was mixed and kept at room temperature and the pH and total solid concentration of the samples were recorded on regular intervals. From the experiment it was found that the optimum yield of biogas at a small scale, based on the parameters such as retention period, pH and total solid con-centration can be obtained by the use of food waste form households and kitchens. The exact composition has been discussed in this paper. The energy generated by the small-scale generator has also been compared to that of an LPG cylinder and an LPG replacement model has also been presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 547-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darush Yazdanfar ◽  
Peter Öhman

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically investigate determinants of financial distress among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the global financial crisis and post-crisis periods.Design/methodology/approachSeveral statistical methods, including multiple binary logistic regression, were used to analyse a longitudinal cross-sectional panel data set of 3,865 Swedish SMEs operating in five industries over the 2008–2015 period.FindingsThe results suggest that financial distress is influenced by macroeconomic conditions (i.e. the global financial crisis) and, in particular, by various firm-specific characteristics (i.e. performance, financial leverage and financial distress in previous year). However, firm size and industry affiliation have no significant relationship with financial distress.Research limitationsDue to data availability, this study is limited to a sample of Swedish SMEs in five industries covering eight years. Further research could examine the generalizability of these findings by investigating other firms operating in other industries and other countries.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine determinants of financial distress among SMEs operating in Sweden using data from a large-scale longitudinal cross-sectional database.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 1902
Author(s):  
Martin Oberascher ◽  
Aun Dastgir ◽  
Jiada Li ◽  
Sina Hesarkazzazi ◽  
Mohsen Hajibabaei ◽  
...  

Smart rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems can automatically release stormwater prior to rainfall events to increase detention capacity on a household level. However, impacts and benefits of a widespread implementation of these systems are often unknown. This works aims to investigate the effect of a large-scale implementation of smart RWH systems on urban resilience by hypothetically retrofitting an Alpine municipality with smart rain barrels. Smart RWH systems represent dynamic systems, and therefore, the interaction between the coupled systems RWH units, an urban drainage network (UDN) and digital infrastructure is critical for evaluating resilience against system failures. In particular, digital parameters (e.g., accuracy of weather forecasts, or reliability of data communication) can differ from an ideal performance. Therefore, different digital parameters are varied to determine the range of uncertainties associated with smart RWH systems. As the results demonstrate, smart RWH systems can further increase integrated system resilience but require a coordinated integration into the overall system. Additionally, sufficient consideration of digital uncertainties is of great importance for smart water systems, as uncertainties can reduce/eliminate gained performance improvements. Moreover, a long-term simulation should be applied to investigate resilience with digital applications to reduce dependence on boundary conditions and rainfall patterns.


Author(s):  
Kelly Cosgrove ◽  
Maricarmen Vizcaino ◽  
Christopher Wharton

Food waste contributes to adverse environmental and economic outcomes, and substantial food waste occurs at the household level in the US. This study explored perceived household food waste changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors. A total of 946 survey responses from primary household food purchasers were analyzed. Demographic, COVID-19-related household change, and household food waste data were collected in October 2020. Wilcoxon signed-rank was used to assess differences in perceived food waste. A hierarchical binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine whether COVID-19-related lifestyle disruptions and food-related behavior changes increased the likelihood of household food waste. A binomial logistic regression was conducted to explore the contribution of different food groups to the likelihood of increased food waste. Perceived food waste, assessed as the estimated percent of food wasted, decreased significantly during the pandemic (z = −7.47, p < 0.001). Food stockpiling was identified as a predictor of increased overall food waste during the pandemic, and wasting fresh vegetables and frozen foods increased the odds of increased food waste. The results indicate the need to provide education and resources related to food stockpiling and the management of specific food groups during periods of disruption to reduce food waste.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 681
Author(s):  
Nora A. Althumiri ◽  
Mada H. Basyouni ◽  
Ali F. Duhaim ◽  
Norah AlMousa ◽  
Mohammed F. AlJuwaysim ◽  
...  

Background: Food waste and food insecurity may co-exist in various balances in developing and developed countries. This study aimed to explore the levels of food waste and food insecurity, the factors associated with them, and their relationships at the household and individual levels in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted via computer-assisted phone interviews in January 2021. Quota sampling was utilized to generate balanced distributions of participants by gender across all the administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Data collection included household demographics, food waste and disposal, the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Results: Out of the 2807 potential participants contacted, 2454 (87.4%) completed the interview. The mean age was 31.4 (SD = 11.7; range = 18–99) and 50.1% were female. The weighted prevalence of uncooked food waste in the last four weeks was 63.6% and the cooked food waste was 74.4%. However, the food insecurity weighted prevalence at the individual level (FIES) was 6.8%. In terms of food insecurity at the household level (HFIAS), 13.3% were in the “severely food insecure” category. Moreover, this study found that “moderately food insecure” households were associated with an increased likelihood to waste uncooked food (relative risk (RR) = 1.25), and the “mildly food insecure” (RR = 1.21) and “moderately food insecure” (RR = 1.17) households were associated with an increased likelihood to waste cooked food. However, “food secure” households were associated with a decreased likelihood to waste cooked food (RR = 0.56). Finally, this study identified four household factors associated with food waste and three household factors that were associated with “severe food insecurity.” Conclusions: This first national coverage study to explore food waste and food insecurity at the individual level and household level, identified household factors associated with food waste and food insecurity and identified new associations between food waste and food insecurity in Saudi Arabia. The associations found between food waste and food insecurity are potential areas of intervention to reduce both food waste and food insecurity at the same time, toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets related to food waste and food security.


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