Topic > The importance of food production - 1189

First of all, in these nations there is a huge waste of food in perfect condition because it does not conform to physical and aesthetic standards. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2011) reports that Asda typically discards 25% to 30% of all carrots and half of this amount is wasted because they do not follow physical models or aesthetic, such as not being the right size or not being bright orange. Furthermore, food in these countries is relatively cheap and undervalued, which benefits waste. For example, in the UK, where only 11% of household income is spent on food (Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 2013). Markets could try to change the population's behavior by offering products outside common aesthetic standards, but of great quality. A great example of this could be found in France, where Intermarché, a famous French supermarket, has started a campaign to induce consumers to buy "ugly products", i.e. products outside the appearance box, selling them at up to 30% in less than normal ones (Cliff, 2014). There is some doubt that this solution is effective, especially since people are encouraged to change their behavior with attractive rewards, such as price reductions. In summary, consumer behavior is responsible for much of the waste, but this behavior could change if