The 21st century is marked by wasteful behaviour. Food waste is considered a major driver of environmental damage as well as economic and social imbalances, requiring reactions and actions from several involved bodies. Well-performed food waste management and supportive government policies raising awareness and mindfulness among private households about waste are crucial to preventing and reducing food waste and supporting sustainable development.
Nevertheless, feeding society through optimised production processes, minimising food losses and waste along the supply chain, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and supporting sustainable development present a global challenge. Food waste is considered a primary driver of economic imbalances and social inequalities in terms of nutritional security. Around one-third of the total food produced is wasted globally every year. Thus, the total wasted amount would be enough to feed all humans lacking access to proper nutrition.
Although a body of research is available on organisational practices that can be implemented to support sustainable development, research on food waste management in the restaurant sector is scarce. Achieving sustainable outcomes in this sector presents a challenge. A reluctance to implement greener practices to reduce food waste and support environmental protection is often explained by a lack of interest among restaurant owners in investing time and effort into task execution. Additionally, economic imbalances, poorly organised management and a lack of governmental support in terms of rules and regulations contribute to increasing food waste.
This research aims to understand how food waste is managed in restaurants in Luxembourg. It analyses the attitudes of actors operating in the restaurant sector to detect potential changes in current behaviours toward a more sustainability-oriented approach. It involves various practices and strategies that are – or could be – implemented to work towards meeting sustainable development goals and achieving a reduction of food waste.
Convincing businesses to include sustainable goals in light of preventing and reducing food waste is key. The purpose of this research is to find out how food waste is managed by restaurants in Luxembourg and which practices are used or could be implemented by organisations to reduce and prevent waste. This led to the decision to conduct interviews with restaurant operators, managers and chefs to gain insight into food waste handling in different businesses and receive input on the issue from various sources to answer the two research questions. As the attitudes of actors highly influence an organisation’s efforts to imply sustainable development, regular stock checks, education and staff training are highlighted throughout the research as important tools to support food waste reduction. Additionally, governmental support and raising awareness among the population should encourage people to be mindful about waste and clarify the consequences of wasting too much food.
Key Words – Food Waste, Management, Restaurants, Sustainable development, Food waste reduction