Arbete mot matsvinn i dagligvaruhandeln En studie om åtgärder och påverkan av ny lagstiftning

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore what type of work processes Swedish retail grocery stores utilize to minimize food waste as well as researching how they are affected by- and how they respond to the new legislation demanding that retailers source separate their food waste in accordance with the updated Waste Regulation. The study had three sources of data: (1) applications for exemption from the law requirement (2) semi-structured interviews and (3) public information displayed on company websites. These were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, interview analysis and document analysis of secondary sources. This study shows that retail grocery stores use both proactive approaches, including optimization of purchasing, as well as reactive approaches, including dynamic price points, to minimize food waste. Additionally, this study shows that the new legislation has changed the way grocery stores operate, for example, through new work tasks focused on separating food waste. Furthermore, this study identifies that retailers’ motivations to comply with the new requirements vary and may coexist and interact. The results indicate that two of the primary barriers to implementation are of a technical and economic nature. Also, the study finds that retailers utilize varying compliance strategies where some choose to implement pilot projects and others apply for exemption from the requirement, while some simply comply with the regulations as stated. The study shows that retailers face and experience vastly different conditions and different retailers approach and handle the same legislation differently. In conclusion, the study shows that implementation of new legislation in complex operations often encounters various obstacles, both internal and external. Change is rarely straightforward and does not happen instantly.