Waste of fresh fruit and vegetables at retailers in Sweden – Measuring and calculation of mass, economic cost and climate impact

Abstract

Food waste is a significant problem for environmental, economic and food security reasons. The retailer, food service and consumers have been recognised as the parts of the food supply chain where the possibility of reducing food waste is greatest in industrialised countries. In this study, primary data on fresh fruit and vegetables (FFV) waste collected through direct measurements in three large retail stores in Sweden were analysed from the perspectives of wasted mass, economic cost and climate impact. A method of measuring and calculating the economic cost of FFV waste was developed and includes the cost of wasted produce, the cost of personnel time for waste management and the cost of waste collection and disposal. The results show that seven FFV categories, which have been termed “hotspot categories”, contributed to the majority of the waste, both in terms of wasted mass, economic cost and climate impact. The “hotspot categories” are apple, banana, grape, lettuce, pear, sweet pepper, and tomato. The cost benefit analysis conducted showed that it is economically wise to invest in more working time for employees in waste management to accomplish a reduction of wasted mass and climate impact without an economic loss for the store. These results are relevant for supporting the implementation of policies and initiatives aimed at food waste reduction at retail level.