Over-ordering and food waste: The use of food delivery apps during a pandemic

There is a paucity of research on the role of food delivery apps (FDAs) in food waste generation. This gap needs to be addressed since FDAs represent a fast-growing segment of the hospitality sector, which is already considered to be a key food waste generator globally. Even more critically, FDAs have become a prominent source of ordering food during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the growing usage of FDAs warrants an improved understanding of the complexities of consumer behavior toward them, particularly during a health crisis. The present study addresses this need by examining the antecedents of FDA users' food ordering behavior during the pandemic that can lead to food waste. The study theorizes that hygiene consciousness impacts the enablers and barriers to FDA usage, which, in turn, shape the attitude toward FDAs and the tendency to order more food than required, i.e., shopping routine. The conceptual model, based on behavioral reasoning theory, was tested using data collected from 440 users of FDAs during the pandemic. The results support a positive association of trust and price advantage with attitude, but only of trust with shopping routine. Perceived severity and moral norms did not moderate any associations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on sustainable food supply chains

PurposeThe ongoing pandemic has gravely affected different facets of society and economic trades worldwide. During the outbreak, most manufacturing and service sectors were closed across the globe except for essential commodities such as food and medicines. Consequently, recent literature has focused on studying supply chain resilience and sustainability in different pandemic contexts. This study aims to add to the existing literature by exploring the economic, environmental and societal aspects affecting the food supply chain and assessing the impact of COVID-19 on food sustainability.Design/methodology/approachA survey method has been adopted with a questionnaire instrument investigating the role of technology, government policies, geopolitics and intermediaries on sustainable organisational management. A five-point Likert scale (i.e. 1 = strongly disagree;5 = strongly agree) is used to evaluate the responses. The findings are based on 131 responses from entry-level workers and senior executives of different food supply chains across Asia and Europe. The data has been analysed to derive insights into the impacts of this pandemic.FindingsThe survey concludes with the significant impact of COVID-19 on the three pillars of sustainability, i.e. economic, social and environmental dimensions. The empirical analysis shows digitalisation and its applications help mitigate the negative effect of COVID-19 on sustainability. In addition, the supportive government policies and intermediatory interventions were helpful in improving sustainability at each level.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings have implications for businesses and policymakers. Companies can learn from the advantages of digitalisation to counter the challenges imposed by the pandemic or similar situations in the future in maintaining the sustainability of their supply chains. Managers can also learn the importance of effective organisational management in driving sustainability. Finally, policymakers can devise policies to support businesses in adopting sustainable practices in their supply chains.Originality/valueThis study adds to the limited literature exploring the impact of COVID-19 on food supply chain sustainability through the triple bottom line lens. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is also one of the first empirical studies to examine the effect of technology, government and organisational management practices on the sustainability of food supply chains.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Sustainable Food Consumption: Historical Evolution, Dominant Topics and Trends

The major goal of this study is to trace the emergence of SFC-related research across time, using a thematic map and a list of corresponding publications. In addition, this study aims to determine the author who has made the most significant contribution to this particular field. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the historical development and current trends in sustainable food consumption research, examining 2265 articles published between 1990 and 2023. Using the bibliometrics package of R Studio software version 4.2.1 and its Biblioshiny package, articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases are examined. In the field of sustainable food consumption, we identify five distinct research phases: initial stagnation, infant growth, post-economic crisis, expanding phase and COVID-19 and post-pandemic. While research on broader sustainability topics can be traced back to the early 20th century, a very limited number of articles on sustainable food consumption was published in the 1990s. However, the number of publications increased incrementally over time, with a notable uptick in interest around 2015, and the subject was still being discussed in 2022. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic marked the beginning of the most recent phase of research, which analyzed the consumption patterns of consumers before and after the pandemic. Our study highlights key authors, documents and sources related to sustainable food consumption. The United States, Italy and the United Kingdom emerged as the most active contributors to the research on sustainable food consumption and were additionally the countries with the largest global market shares for organic products. Major sub-themes including organic food, food waste, sustainable development and food security, together with consumer behavior and organic products appeared as being the most researched sub-themes of recent times. The results of this study suggest that more research is related to sustainable food consumption in countries with a low organic food market share. In addition, the investigation of actual data on food waste, carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from food production and consumption is essential to gain holistic insights.

Aggressivity level of LTM (Macaca Fascicularis) and visitors' perception in Tlogo Muncar Kaliurang, Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi After Two Years of COVID-19 Pandemic

Long-tailed macaque/LTM (Macaca fascicularis) has good interaction and adaptation ability, as we found in the Tlogo Muncar area, Kaliurang, Yogyakarta, which is accustomed to visitors. Often food provision by visitors allegedly increases the aggressiveness of LTMs. Three groups of macaques identified at Tlogo Muncar are Waterfall, Joglo Trubus, and Mushola group. The study aimed to understand visitors' perceptions and the aggression level of LTM at Tlogo Muncar area, Merapi Mount National Park (Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi/TNGM) after two years of closure of the site caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Observations were conducted using the scan sampling method and continued by focal sampling. According to Wijayanto (2015), the aggressiveness of LTM is divided into four categories, aggressive level 1: dare to approach, potentially attack physically and steal goods or food from the front;aggressive level 2, steal goods or food from behind or side, aggressive level 3, steal goods or food when the visitor is off guard;and aggressive level 4, dare to approach when fed and only look for food waste in the dump. Observing visitors' perceptions was conducted by randomly distributing questionnaires to 100 respondents. The result showed that aggressive behaviour level 1 is generally carried out by adult male LTMs. However, aggressive behaviour observed is mainly aggressivity level 4. The questionnaire results indicate decreasing respondents' understanding of the disease transmission from long-tailed monkeys to humans compared to the 2021 questionnaire result. However, most visitors agreed that the interaction between humans and LTMs should be limited to a specific location within the area.

Online food delivery habits and its environmental impact during the COVID-19 pandemic: an Italian and Polish study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate, through a quantitative research, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online food delivery in Italy and Poland, as well as to ascertain whether or not, under a consumer perspective, respondents consider such method as impacting on the environment and on food waste.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical survey of consumers at Italian and Polish Universities was conducted using the online survey computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) method.FindingsResults reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic has modified consumer habits in both Italy and Poland, though the researched sample does not have full knowledge of these changes. Moreover, the study has proved once again that online food delivery may impact negatively on the environment and the food waste issue.Originality/valueThis paper fills a gap in literature since, by the authors' knowledge, it is the first quantitative study analysing Italian and Polish young consumers as to online food delivery habits and their approach to sustainability aspects of this purchasing method.

Change and innovation in food aid provision in Sussex and Southwest London during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how food aid providers in Sussex and Southwest London responded and managed during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe methodological approach consists of three inter-related layers. A qualitative description research approach based on naturalistic inquiry, supplemented by site visits and personal observations was used.FindingsThe pandemic catalysed dramatic, often positive, changes to the provision of food aid, with a move away from the traditional food bank model. It brought about increased coordination and oversight, as well as the upscaling of capabilities, infrastructure and provisions.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the literature on food aid in the UK It provides evidence for how providers are transforming the sector for the better and potentially helping to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

Industry 4.0 and Beyond: A Review of the Literature on the Challenges and Barriers Facing the Agri-Food Supply Chain

In recent years, the Industry 4.0 concept has gained considerable attention from professionals, researchers and decision makers. For its part, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of managing the agri-food supply chain to ensure the food that the population needs. Industry 4.0 and its extensions can address the needs of the agri-food supply chain by bringing new features such as security, transparency and traceability in line with sustainable development goals. This study aims to systematically analyze the literature to address the challenges and barriers against the application of industry 4.0 and its related technologies in the management of an agri-food supply chain. Currently, despite the large number of publications, there is no clear agreement on what Industry 4.0 is, and even less its extensions. The next revolution that includes new technologies and improves several existing technologies brings additional conceptual and practical complexity. Consequently, in this work we first determine the main components of I 4.0 and their extensions by studying the literature, and then, in the second step, define the agri-food supply chain on which I 4.0 technologies are applied. Two well-known databases-Web of Science and Scopus-were chosen to extract data for the systematic review of the literature. For the final evaluation, we identified 24 of 100 reviewed publications. The results provide an exhaustive analysis of the different I 4.0 technologies and their extensions that are applied in regards to the agri-food supply chain. In addition, we find 15 challenges that are classified into five major themes in the agri-food supply chain: technical, operational, financial, social and infrastructure. The four most important challenges identified are technological architecture, security and privacy, big data management and IoT (internet)-based infrastructure. Only a few articles addressed sustainability, which reaffirms and demonstrates a considerable gap in terms of the sustainable agri-food supply chain, with waste management being the one that has attracted the most attention. This review provides a roadmap for academics and practitioners alike, showing the gaps and facilitating the identification of I 4.0 technologies that can help address the challenges facing the efficient management of an agri-food supply chain.

Modification of the Aeration-Supplied Configuration in the Biodrying Process for Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) Production

Biodrying is an essential part of the mechanical–biological treatment process that minimizes moisture content and simultaneously maximizes heating value for refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production. Although the mechanical separation process operates effectively in Thailand's RDF production, high organic content levels and their degradation cause moisture contamination in RDF, producing wet RDF. Aeration is essential for an effective biodrying process, and can reduce RDF's moisture content as well as increase its heating value. To maximize the biodrying effect, aeration should be optimized based on the waste conditions. This study proposes a modified aeration-supplied configuration for wet RDF biodrying. The aeration rate was modified based on the period within the biodrying operation;the first period is from the beginning until day 2.5, and the second period is from day 2.5 to day 5. The optimal aeration supply configuration was 0.5 m3/kg/day in the first period and then 0.3 m3/kg/day until the end of the process;this configuration yielded the greatest moisture content decrease of 35% and increased the low heating value of the biodried product by 11%. The final moisture content and low heating value were 24.07% and 4787 kcal/kg, respectively. Therefore, this optimal aeration-supplied configuration could be applied to meet the moisture content and low heating value requirements of the RDF production standard for Thailand's local cement industry.

Guest editorial: Empirically grounded research in logistics and supply chain management for a circular economy

The CE is driven by intentional design, aiming to drastically improve resource efficiency by restoring technical materials and regenerating biological materials to keep them in circulation instead of sending them to a landfill as in a linear economy (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2015). [...]we point to research directions for CE and CSCM. The results suggest critical enablers including supportive legislative framework, understanding CE's economic benefits and knowledge and research support. Using bibliometric analysis tools, the study maps out the development trends in the domain and identifies five prominent research clusters related to reverse channel optimization and closed-loop and circular SCM.

FOOD WASTE IN ROMANIA - STATISTICS AND FACTS

Food waste is a global concern today. Increasing the level of food security requires a better use of food systems, including reducing food waste and losses. Food crisis and the increase in the price of food, in the context of the climate changes, the Covid pandemic or the war in Ukraine, have sharpened the approach to food waste, including in Romania. National legislation on reducing food waste was adopted relatively late, and data on food waste in Romania are limited. According to international statistics, Romania wastes 2.5 million tons of food annually, with an average of about 70 kilograms/inhabitant, placing it in the middle of the European ranking of food waste. Research has shown that almost half of waste comes from households and a third from industrial food processing. The large commercial food chains in Romania already have programs to combat food waste. Educating the population, starting from primary education, adopting national strategies and applying good practices in reducing food waste from other European countries can represent potential solutions for Romania.

Towards sustainable and resilient short food supply chains: a focus on sustainability practices and resilience capabilities using case study

PurposeThis study aims to advance current knowledge on resilient and sustainable short food supply chains, by identifying sustainability practices and resilience capabilities and how these interact.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical data were collected from three cases via 16 semi-structured interviews. This methodological choice answers a call to develop more case studies to better understand perspectives on sustainable and resilient supply chains. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis.FindingsSustainability practices may positively enhance the resilience of short food supply chains, and vice versa. Specifically, social sustainability practices are perceived as enablers of resilience capabilities, and production practices can have a positive or negative impact on resilience capabilities.Originality/valueThis research addresses an important gap in the current short food supply chains literature, by looking at sustainability and resilience in an integrated way for the first time. The proposed working hypotheses and conceptual framework illustrate the complex relationship between social, economic and environmental sustainability and five resilience capabilities within short food supply chains.

Food supply chain waste reduction for a circular economy in the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study of New Zealand consumers

PurposeFood waste (FW) reduction, of which household wastage comprises a large fraction, has an important role in promoting the circular economy (CE). This study investigates how certain consumer traits impact household FW, particularly in the face of external shocks.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a qualitative and longitudinal study, spanning three periods in New Zealand. A preliminary model is constructed from the outcomes of a survey with 178 participants. Then, the authors carried out 29 semi-structured interviews to refine the preliminary model and adapt it to the analysis of household waste behavior.FindingsDifferent segments of consumers have distinct response patterns in successive lockdowns, and these patterns impact household FW reduction and food supply chain (FSC) management. The key findings include (1) for government, quick responses to quash unhelpful rumors help to reduce public concerns around FSC interruption;(2) for retailers, the pandemic has hastened the growth of online shopping;being able to expand the distribution channel in a short time is a critical issue;and (3) for consumers, the experience of lockdown has different impacts on different groups of consumers. This variation of experience may either enhance or exacerbate FW in households.Originality/valueThis paper complements the existing literature on the FSC and contributes to household FW and CE literature by providing a framework that integrates external impacts, consumer segmentation to reflect on waste management, and the possible applications of the proposed framework.

The impact of COVID-19 on food rescue organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand and future crisis management

PurposeThe study analyses the resilience of food rescue organisations' operating as "essential services” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020) in Aotearoa New Zealand. It explores the impact of COVID-19 on the organisations' operation, preparedness, and potential positive impacts.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with 19 out of 23 active food rescue organisations across the country. Interview participants included CEOs, founders, managers, and coordinators.FindingsThe study identifies six impact areas experienced by food rescue organisations during COVID-19, policy and preparedness, funding, operation - logistics and personnel, supply continuity, food security and sector collaboration. Despite these impacts, the organisations showcased admirable resilience through innovation, adaptability, and collaborative practices, enabling the continuation of their services during the crisis.Practical implicationsThe paper provides a three-stage crisis management framework to guide the development and implementation of a crisis management plan to improve the resilience and preparedness of food rescue organisations' response to future crises. The framework is flexible and adaptable to each food rescue organisation's unique operation and capacity.Originality/valueThis paper offers a retrospective analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 on 83% of food rescue organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is the first paper to study the impact of COVID-19 on food rescue organisations.

A Review of Household Food Waste Generation during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the quantity and composition of household food waste generation in parallel with recent changes to food behaviors. A literature review was undertaken to determine the state of household food wasting during pandemic circumstances. Forty-one articles that reported on household food waste generation during COVID-19 were identified. Most of these studies relied on self-reported recall of food wasting behavior (n = 35), primarily collected through surveys. The average total amount of household food waste generated during COVID-19 was 0.91 kg per capita per week. Average avoidable food waste generation was 0.40 kg per capita per week and average unavoidable food waste generation was 0.51 kg per capita per week. Fruit and vegetables were the most wasted types of food. Only five studies reported statistically significant changes (actual or perceived) to household food waste generation during COVID-19. These results indicate a possible decrease in total, perceived food waste generation during pandemic circumstances, with a possible increase in the actual generation of unavoidable food waste. Further research is needed to adequately determine the impact of the pandemic on household food waste generation, as the findings summarized in this review vary substantially and statistically significant results are limited. © 2023 by the authors.

Informative initiatives as a useful tool to raise awareness of food waste. An application to higher education

PurposeBecause food waste is a serious problem today, society is currently aiming for more responsible consumption to minimize it, as defined in the 12th goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This study aims to examine whether an informative initiative can help to raise university students' awareness of food waste consequences.Design/methodology/approachThe initiative consisted of explaining the problem of food waste to students of two marketing subject modules within economics and business administration degrees and asking them to participate in an activity in which they analyzed their own behavior. To assess its impact, two questionnaires about the students' food waste behaviors were administered, before and after the initiative, adopting an experimental design.FindingsThe results show that the information and awareness activities were successful, because, after the initiative, the students were more aware about the food waste problem and its consequences and were more critical of their behavior regarding the management of leftovers at home.Research limitations/implicationsDespite some circumstances under which the study was conducted (the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown), the practical and social implications are relevant.Practical implicationsThis study offers some interesting practical implications for educational institutions that want to inform and train students in more responsible consumption behavior. It shows that an initiative in which students are involved, like collecting data about food waste, in their homes with a diary, and informative sessions can be useful to increase students' awareness of food waste to behave in a more sustainable way.Social implicationsThese findings may be of interest to academics for designing initiatives that try to train and educate young people in making more responsible personal and professional decisions.Originality/valueThis study analyzes the impact of an awareness-raising initiative about food waste in higher education, which is a relatively neglected topic in the literature.

A Perspective on Emerging Inter-Disciplinary Solutions for the Sustainable Management of Food Waste

Since food waste is a contemporary and complicated issue that is widely debated across many societal areas, the world community has designated the reduction of food waste as a crucial aspect of establishing a sustainable economy. However, waste management has numerous challenges, such as inadequate funding, poor waste treatment infrastructure, technological limitations, limited public awareness of proper sanitary practices, and inadequate legal and regulatory frameworks. A variety of microorganisms participate in the process of anaerobic digestion, which can be used to convert organic waste into biogas (e.g., methane) and nutrient-rich digestate. In this study, we propose a synergy among multiple disciplines such as nanotechnology, omics, artificial intelligence, and bioengineering that leverage anaerobic digestion processes to optimize the use of current scientific and technological knowledge in addressing global food waste challenges. The integration of these fields carries with it a vast amount of potential for improved waste management. In addition, we highlighted the relevance, importance, and applicability of numerous biogas-generating technologies accessible in each discipline, as well as assessing the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on waste production and management systems. We identify diverse solutions that acknowledge the necessity for integration aimed at drawing expertise from broad interdisciplinary research to address food waste management challenges. © 2022 by the authors.

Development of Polymeric Binder from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam Waste as Construction Materials

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam wastes become a huge environmental issue as most of them are non-biodegradable materials and are disposed of inappropriately. It was reported that the amount of plastic and foam wastes for food containers and other packagings was evidently increased during the past 5 years, especially since the COVID19 pandemic. This work studied the development of the polymeric foam binder from the EPS foam waste for the production of green construction blocks or pavement tiles. The types of solvent (acetone and toluene) and the amount of additional EPS foam binder were investigated. The results show that the appropriate mixtures contained EPS foam binder from 15% to 30% to achieve maximum compressive strength at approximately 10 to 12 MPa with the optimal unit weight of 1,600 to 1,900 kg/m3. Those outcomes have equally passed the strength class of Thai Industrial Standard (TIS 57 and 77) for construction brick and block. This eco-friendly technique could facilitate value-added production and reduce the environmental impact of EPS wastes disposal. Moreover, it is one of the alternative approaches to promote greener and cleaner production for environmentally friendly construction materials.

Environmental Compliance and Practices Of Cruise Ships in ísafjörður, Iceland

The drastic growth of cruise tourism in the world, while potentially beneficial for economic growth in local communities, also brings concerns regarding environmental impacts. This research used the port of Ísafjörður, Iceland, a growing hotspot destination for cruise ships, as a case study to aid in understanding the potential environmental impacts from cruise ships. The study's aims were: 1) to determine the quantity and type of waste discharged to the shore facilities by cruise ships in Ísafjörður in 2019, and 2) to explore the compliance behavior of the ships in adhering to Icelandic and international environmental regulations. To do this, quantitative and qualitative questions were presented in a survey to officers from 40 cruise ships, accounting for 87% of the total 46 different ships that docked in Ísafjörður in the 2019 cruise ship season. The survey questions were designed based on the MARPOL Convention and the law of Iceland, and these questions were compared with the ship's statutory record or ship's certificates to strengthen the reliability of the data. The questions covered five categories: emissions, waste oil, wastewater, garbage and food waste, and ballast water. Results showed that very little garbage and food waste had been discharged to shore facilities, and this was likely because Ísafjörður is one of several stops for many cruise ships in Iceland and the waste had simply been discharged elsewhere. In assessing the other four categories, 8 out of the 40 cruise ships carried out illegal activities, including 12 specific violation cases. This article discusses three primary reasons for those violations: accessibility, inconsistency, and monitoring. This research was conducted pre-COVID-19;however, by 2022 cruise ship calls in Ísafjörður approached preCOVID-19 numbers. Interested parties such as local communities, national decision makers, tourism boards, municipal planners, and environmental agencies must use the best available knowledge, such as this study, to manage the positive and negative aspects of the growth of cruise ship tourism, and perhaps even more so in a post-COVID-19 phase.

Household food wastage in Montenegro: exploring consumer food behaviour and attitude under COVID-19 pandemic circumstances

PurposeThe purpose of the research was to determine food consumer behaviour and attitudes towards food consumption and household food waste in Montenegro. Since the period of conducting the research coincided with the expansion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Montenegro (10–14 weeks since its outbreak), the results of this research could indicate the emerging pandemic circumstances.Design/methodology/approachA total of 529 consumers were surveyed online, and 514 questionnaires met the requirements of further statistical processing. Data were processed by methods of descriptive statistics and chi-square test of association between socio-economic characteristics of respondents and their attitudes, as well as cluster analysis.FindingsThe main findings of the research are (1) consumers in Montenegro are quite responsible for the use of food because they throw away a small part, both in quantity and value;(2) Montenegrin households still practice a traditional way of life with frequent preparation and consumption of food at home and use of leftovers;(3) consumers have confusing perceptions regarding date labels of industrially processed foods;(4) during the COVID-19 pandemic, 17.3% of consumers increased and 11.8% decreased the frequency of food purchases, while 20.7% increased and 5.1% decreased food waste.Originality/valueThe work is highly original and, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no other article that analysed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food wastage and food-related behaviours during the outbreak of the pandemic in Montenegro (May–June 2020). Therefore, the work fills a gap in research and knowledge and sets a baseline for future studies.