Food Waste in Saudi Arabia: Causes, Consequences, and Combating Measures

Mirza Barjees Baig, Bader Alhafi Alotaibi (), Khodran Alzahrani, David Pearson, Ghedeir M. Alshammari and Ashfaq Ahmad Shah
Additional contact information
Mirza Barjees Baig: Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water & Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Bader Alhafi Alotaibi: Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Khodran Alzahrani: Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
David Pearson: School of Business and Law, Central Queensland University, Sydney Campus, 400 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Ghedeir M. Alshammari: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Ashfaq Ahmad Shah: Research Center for Environment and Society, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-19

Abstract: The enormous amounts of food going as waste to landfills is of great concern in Saudi Arabia. The issue of food waste is complex, with its numerous social, cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability dimensions warranting further investigations. Food waste is one of the prime issues threatening food security in Saudi Arabia. This article aims to gauge the real issue, to create awareness among those who waste large amounts of food, and to encourage planners and policy makers to implement corrective measures. This article aims to stimulate interest within the scientific community, seek support from different branches of Saudi Arabian government, and engage all major segments of society. A thorough search of the international scientific publications and the grey literature published in English and Arabic was made. It was discovered that the available literature is scarce, and tends to focus on finding knowledge about the problem rather than on generating solutions. Thus, further research should attempt to find ways to form strategies and to test new ideas and interventions that could reduce food waste, particularly in the hospitality sector and within households. Based on the analysis presented in this paper, the recommended course of action for Saudi Arabia is to launch an integrated “Stop Wasting Food” campaign that would include all stakeholders. Raising awareness about the detrimental consequences of food waste and encouraging behavioral changes to reduce this squandering of precious resources is the first step in addressing the issue. There is an urgent need to promote behavioral changes in Saudi Arabian society, particularly among prime food wasters: women and youth.

Keywords: food waste; food security; behavioral change; awareness; Saudi Arabia (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 (2)

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