Food waste and its management in restaurants of a transition economy: An exploratory study of Uzbekistan

Food waste in the global foodservice sector is a major societal challenge but its estimates lack accuracy, especially in developing and transition economies. The lack of accurate estimates in these emerging markets of out-of-home food consumption hinders effective food waste prevention. This paper employs a multi-stage research design to benchmark food waste in the commercial foodservice sector of Uzbekistan, a major transition economy and the most populous country in Central Asia. Primary data are obtained by analysing waste collection records, via in-situ observations and through managerial interviews. The study finds that food waste is correlated with size of casual dining restaurants in Uzbekistan as follows: small restaurants waste 3–7 tonnes of food per year, medium-sized restaurants – 10–23 tonnes and large restaurants – 20–30 tonnes. Most food waste occurs in the kitchen due to overproduction of meals driven by demand seasonality. Plate waste is significant, especially during social events. Such advanced approaches to food waste management as portion control, surplus food donation and food waste resell to farmers are identified. These approaches can be particularly effective in non-capital, provincial regions. The study results can aid in the design of policy-making interventions for food waste prevention in the commercial foodservice sector of Uzbekistan and the wider region of Central Asia.