Resources Management for a Resilient World: A Literature Review of Eastern European Countries with Focus on Household Behaviour and Trends Related to Food Waste

Maria-Georgeta Moldovan, Dan Cristian Dabija and Cristina Bianca Pocol
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Maria-Georgeta Moldovan: Department of Animal Production and Food Safety, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Cristina Bianca Pocol: Department of Animal Production and Food Safety, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-13

Abstract: Increasing concern about food waste and the consequences of human lifestyle on the environment have intensified attention on this topic. While waste and loss of food occur in all stages of the food chain, more than 50% of the blame relies on the consumers’ shoulders, regardless of their geographical location, age, culture, or historical roots. Ideally, wasted food (from agricultural production to storage and transportation stages, down to final consumers) should return to the habitat it came from (circular economy concept), but man-made materials do not naturally decompose quickly, or they decompose in several hundreds of years, destroying untouched resources. Simply presented, reducing lost or wasted food means more food for us all in the future, more visible economic growth (especially in low-income countries), and less pressure on the environment. While these concepts are largely being investigated in Western economies, Eastern Europe lacks a proper understanding, especially in the best relevant practices. Therefore, this systematic review highlights the need for further research on Eastern European households’ attitudes and the importance of identifying long-term trends in changing behaviour causing wastage. This can only be done properly if past experiences, societal culture, traditions, and food habits are mirrored in future predictions by considering the inherent factors influencing the decision-making process.

Keywords: waste prevention; resilience; sustainability; environment; household behaviour; circular economy; food loss and waste (FLW) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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