Jointly Reducing Food Waste—The Experiences of the German Discussion Forum for Wholesale and Retail

Lia Orr (), Yanne Goossens, Marco Heinrich and Nora Brüggemann
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Lia Orr: Thuenen Institute for Market Analysis, Bundesallee 63, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Yanne Goossens: Thuenen Institute for Market Analysis, Bundesallee 63, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Marco Heinrich: Thuenen Institute for Market Analysis, Bundesallee 63, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Nora Brüggemann: Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production gGmbH, Hagenauer Str. 30, 42107 Wuppertal, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: The global food system faces the challenge of food waste, which has significant environmental, social, and economic implications. In line with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, the German food wholesale and retail sector has recognised the urgency of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030. However, limited scientific research exists on food waste in this sector. This study presents the implementation of a Discussion Forum as a three year project aiming to measure and reduce food waste in the German food wholesale and retail sectors. Collaboration among stakeholders played a crucial role, leading to the development of a voluntary agreement and ambitious reduction targets. The findings highlight the success of the Discussion Forum in generating high-quality data, fostering collaboration, and guiding reduction actions. Lessons learned include the practicality of data collection methods, the importance of data security and confidentiality, and the value of open discussions. The research contributes to filling the research gap in food waste studies and provides valuable insights for achieving SDG 12.3 in the wholesale and retail sectors.

Keywords: food waste monitoring; discussion forum; voluntary agreements (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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