Food waste is a complex process that occurs all along the food supply chain. The Louis Bonduelle Foundation has assembled a scientific file to better understand the mechanisms involved and share courses of action.
Food waste: an issue for developed and developing countries alike!
In developing countries, over half of food loss and waste occurs upstream, during production, because of inappropriate agricultural practices or manipulations that occur after the harvest or during warehousing or transportation. Meanwhile, in developed countries, it happens at the end of the chain, where food is wasted by consumers without their even realizing it. The causes of this waste are essentially behavioral and include poor planning of grocery shopping, strict compliance with expiration dates, and a lack of knowledge of how to cook scraps.
With the contents of this scientific file, we take stock of food waste and its origins and causes. We also present courses of action for reducing waste, avenues for research, and information on the future outlook.