A Tool for the Selection of Food Waste Management Approaches for the Hospitality and Food Service Sector in the UK

Spyridoula Gerassimidou, Manoj Dora and Eleni Iacovidou ()
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Spyridoula Gerassimidou: Sustainable Plastics Research Group (SPlasH), Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
Manoj Dora: School of Management, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
Eleni Iacovidou: Sustainable Plastics Research Group (SPlasH), Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK

Resources, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-27

Abstract: The UK government has been calling for action in tackling food waste (FW) generation, to which the Hospitality and Food Services (HaFS) sector contributes substantially. Decision-making tools that inform the selection of appropriate FW management (FWM) processes in the HaFS sector are lacking. This study fills this gap by offering a conceptual decision-making tool that supports selecting appropriate and commercially available FW processing techniques for the HaFS sector. The study initially conducted an exploratory analysis of on-site and off-site FWM options commercially available in the UK to inform the development of a two-tier decision-making framework. A set of steering criteria was developed and refined via stakeholder consultations to create flowcharts that guide the selection of FWM options, i.e., Tier 1 of the framework. Tier 2 refines the FWM process selection using a comparative sustainability scorecard of FWM options performance developed through a rapid systematic evidence mapping. The main outcome of this study is a flexible decision-making tool that allows stakeholders to participate in the decision-making process and facilitate the selection of tailored-based FWM processes that better suit their circumstances and needs. This approach to decision-making is more likely to enable solutions that facilitate the sustainable management of wasted resources and promote circularity.

Keywords: food waste management; hospitality and food service sector; decision-making tool; sustainability performance; criteria-based approach (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jresou:v:11:y:2022:i:10:p:80-:d:920193

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