TY - JOUR

T1 - Addressing food waste reduction in Denmark

AU - Halloran, Afton Marina Szasz

AU - Clement, Jesper

AU - Kornum, Niels

AU - Bucatariu, Camelia

AU - Magid, Jakob

N1 - CURIS 2014 NEXS 392

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Global food demand is driven by population and economic growth, and urbanization. One important instrument to meet this increasing demand and to decrease the pressure on food production is to minimize food losses and food waste. Food waste and loss is a major societal, economic, nutritional and environmental challenge. Using the case of Denmark, this paper analyses causes of food waste, and discusses how different stakeholders address the prevention and reuse of the €1.18. billion of annual edible food waste. Currently, the majority of food waste is still incinerated with energy recovery. However, improvements in technology have made it more efficient to utilize food waste for biogas and compost, which improves nutrient cycling through the food system. Major efforts to address food waste in Denmark have mainly been promoted through civil society groups with governmental support, as well as by industry. In order to better understand food waste and loss more research must be conducted on the total amount of food waste at every level of the food supply chain. Solutions can be found through improved communication, more efficient food packaging, and better in interpretation of food labels by consumers. Likewise, systems thinking may support an integrated agricultural and food system where food utilization is optimized and loss and waste of resources is reduced. In conclusion, sustainable solutions to the reduction of food waste in Denmark must include multi-stakeholders collaboration, especially public-private partnerships at the global level.

AB - Global food demand is driven by population and economic growth, and urbanization. One important instrument to meet this increasing demand and to decrease the pressure on food production is to minimize food losses and food waste. Food waste and loss is a major societal, economic, nutritional and environmental challenge. Using the case of Denmark, this paper analyses causes of food waste, and discusses how different stakeholders address the prevention and reuse of the €1.18. billion of annual edible food waste. Currently, the majority of food waste is still incinerated with energy recovery. However, improvements in technology have made it more efficient to utilize food waste for biogas and compost, which improves nutrient cycling through the food system. Major efforts to address food waste in Denmark have mainly been promoted through civil society groups with governmental support, as well as by industry. In order to better understand food waste and loss more research must be conducted on the total amount of food waste at every level of the food supply chain. Solutions can be found through improved communication, more efficient food packaging, and better in interpretation of food labels by consumers. Likewise, systems thinking may support an integrated agricultural and food system where food utilization is optimized and loss and waste of resources is reduced. In conclusion, sustainable solutions to the reduction of food waste in Denmark must include multi-stakeholders collaboration, especially public-private partnerships at the global level.

KW - Food and nutrition security

KW - Food systems

KW - Food waste

KW - Multi-stakeholder processes

KW - Natural resources

KW - Sustainability

U2 - 10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.09.005

DO - 10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.09.005

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84908011312

VL - 49

SP - 294

EP - 301

JO - Food Policy

JF - Food Policy

SN - 0306-9192

IS - 1

ER -