Market-based tools for reduction of food waste in grocery retail

Food waste in the sector of grocery retail represents a major societal challenge. The magnitude of this challenge, its drivers, and approaches to minimize its occurrence in the different geographical markets of food consumption remain poorly understood. This hampers the identification of best practices in food waste mitigation and hinders its broader sectoral and market uptake. This chapter sheds light on the food waste challenge in the United Kingdom sector of grocery retail. Semistructured interviews with managers of major grocery retailers demonstrate the importance and timeliness of minimizing food wastage. However, the mitigation practices adopted on the ground are reactive and focus on food waste disposal, rather than prevention. The application of market-based tools is limited despite the significant mitigation potential they hold. Drawing upon the results of this study and the wider literature, recommendations are provided on how to enhance the effectiveness of food waste mitigation in the United Kingdom sector of grocery retail.