Speaker
Description
Food loss and food waste put pressure on society, the environment and the economy. A variety of experimental interventions to reduce food loss and waste are conducted, as well as several review studies. However, it remains unclear which intervention is the most effective and what characteristics contribute to this. As there is an urgent need to reduce food loss and waste, it is important to know how this can be done in an effective way. This study consists of two parts: a review of previously conducted experimental interventions to reduce food loss and waste (done) and a field experiment (to do).
The first objective of the study was to find out which intervention characteristics within pretest-posttest-control experiments to reduce food loss and waste are the most effective, considering the whole food supply chain. This is done by making use of a systematic literature review, followed by a meta-regression. Although there has been an increase in food loss and waste research in the past decade, it seems that behavioral experimental interventions with a pretest-posttest-control design are still not common practice, hence twenty studies meet all inclusion criteria. In addition, all included studies were performed in the last stages of the food supply chain (i.e. restaurants, retail and households), with great emphasis on consumers. The meta-regression uncovered that experimental behavioral interventions are effective (dPPC=-0.227) in reducing food loss and waste, however the type of intervention and the characteristics of the experiment (e.g. utilizing a theoretical framework, context of experiment, duration of the study) are important in this. Moreover, only a few studies report on long-term effects; and for these, the meta-regression uncovered that the effect of an intervention fades away over time, though the longevity of behavior change is the most important especially in habitual behavior such as food handling.
The second endeavor of the study is to test a field experiment on reducing food loss and waste within companies by measuring food loss and waste on site. Additionally, by making use of surveys it will also be estimated if spillovers occur in the household context. Based on the findings of the meta-regression and previously conducted food loss and waste measures, it is opted to target food processing companies and retailers instead of consumers. This will be done in collaboration with NGOs and/or companies. The experiment makes use of a pretest-posttest-control design, with long-term follow-up.
| Keywords | food loss, food waste, circular economy, pretest-posttest-control experiment |
|---|---|
| Status of your work | Experimental Design |
| Early Career Researcher Award | Yes, the paper is eligible |
