Topic > Potential methods to reduce food waste

There is a growing global concern about food waste which already impacts social, economic and environmental aspects. At a social level, food waste leads to the growth of the malnourished population, especially the population suffering from food insecurity. Money and labor put into food production have also been wasted because nearly a third of food has been thrown away through the process of production, transportation, retail and consumption (Turner, 2018), causing massive economic losses and increasing global food prices. Food waste also contributes to the environmental problem, the disposal of food waste releases greenhouse gases that accelerate climate warming, at the same time pollutes water and air, a mass of food waste causes more monocultures and decreases biodiversity. There must be some potential changes to be made to reduce food waste; some people believe that change should be made individually, but others think that institutions and government should take responsibility for reducing food waste. In my personal opinion, food waste is not only a global concern but also a personal issue, change could be achieved through personal behavior change and intervention from government, organizations and institutions, because consumer behaviors are always intertwined with marketing conditions and government policies. In this article, I will start by briefly explaining food waste, introduce the debate whether change should be made at an individual or structural level, then use research evidence to prove my claim, finally offer some feasible solutions to reduce food waste. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Food waste is edible or inedible food that is thrown away through the food supply chain or human consumption. Although it is a global concern, the cause of food waste is not universal. Most food waste in developing countries occurs through the process of collection, transportation and storage, but in developed countries food waste always occurs during consumption. According to Garrone, Melacini and Perego (2014), there are 1.3 billion tons of food waste per year worldwide, a considerable problem that threatens food security and the environment. Action needs to be taken to reduce food waste, but there is ongoing debate about whether change should start at a personal level, for example by changing buying and cooking behaviours, or whether it is the responsibility of the government or other institutions to promote waste reduction food. Some researchers have illustrated that in developed countries consumers are the main factor producing food waste, approximately 40-45% of food waste comes from the household level (Aschemann-Witzel, Hooge, Almil & Oostindjer, 2018). This is a large percentage of food waste, so changing consumer behaviors and lifestyles is important to prevent food waste. Behaviors that prevent food reduction are also targeted, such as not having a shopping list before going shopping, preparing too much food for meals, not always checking the cupboard or refrigerator, storing food in a improper. In the study by Graham-Rowe, C. Jessop and Parks (2013), other obstacles to reducing household food waste were analysed. First, usuallyat home the mother is the role that cooks for the family, they tend to care more about the health of the family and provide plenty of food to make meals nutritious and plentiful. During interviews, most participants indicated that they would simply throw away excess food. Second, many people stockpile large amounts of food for convenience, because they don't have much time to shop or cook. Although the fear of getting sick is another way to avoid inconvenience, when food passes its expiration date, people usually choose to throw it away because they don't want to risk their health. Third, many families are unaware of the severity of food waste that could result and view discarding surplus food as a social norm, because surplus food is inevitable. Finally, some consumers argued that it is the duty of retailers and supermarkets to change conditions, as some food waste cannot be avoided, such as the large size of food packaging and the poor freshness of the foods they purchase from supermarkets (Graham-Rowe et al., 2013). The last two obstacles cannot simply be eliminated by changing consumer behaviors, so some people think that government and organizations need to take actions to change policy and improve consumer awareness. Indeed, there are many plans to be implemented in different countries. For example, the United Nations Food Waste Definition and Measurement Programme, the National Food Waste Strategy in Australia and the Love Food Hate Waste campaign in the UK (Turner, 2018). All these objectives are aimed at promoting the global reduction of food waste and increasing consumer awareness of the problem of food waste. As for the debate, both sides are true about their suggestions, but from my point of view it is better to combine the individual level and structural level together to develop the food waste reduction campaign. Since this global concern cannot be resolved unilaterally, consumer behaviors and lifestyles are related to market conditions, and marketing policy also shapes consumer behaviors. Furthermore, food waste of different regions has different situations to consider, for example in developing countries food waste mainly occurs in the process before consumption, so actions should focus more on policy and technique rather than individual . Therefore, the problem of food waste should be addressed through cooperation between individuals and governments or other institutions such as supermarkets, retail stores and NGOs. Based on the research by Graham-Rowe, C. Jessop and Parks on motivations to reduce food waste (2013), the most motivations to be mentioned are financial worry and feelings of guilt, but environmental concern is not taken seriously serious, which means not too many families realize the negative influence of food waste. There is no doubt that some behaviors such as making lists before going to the supermarket, frequently checking the pantry and freezer, preparing an adequate quantity of meals and suppressing impulsive purchases are useful for preventing food waste, but it is not easy for people who have limited choice in food or do not give priority to environmental issues. Therefore, it is the duty of supermarkets to provide small-sized food packages for small-sized families and try not to use promotions to attract consumers to purchase.