Food Waste from Swedish Grocery Stores; What can the grocery stores do to reduce it?

Abstract

The problem with food waste has become more and more evident during recent years and a reduction of the waste would be one important step towards a more sustainable society. The purpose of this comparative study is to examine how some Swedish grocery stores handle their food waste and compare if there are any differences between the three main actors on the Swedish grocery store market; Coop, ICA, and Hemköp. The study will examine how the grocery stores handle their food waste today, what they do to reduce it and if anything hinders them from taking better care of the waste. Theoretical results indicate an improved infrastructure at the grocery stores can reduce the waste, which involves resources, activities and partners. It also shows an efficient supply chain is important and to reach more efficiency must the chain actors be able to handle uncertainties, collaborate and share information. But to know what needs to be done is one thing, to make it happen is another and to change old habits and routines can be difficult. Empirical findings demonstrate the grocery stores are very much dependant on their customers’ behaviours and attitudes as well as the efficiency of the whole food supply chain when it comes to food waste reduction.