Quality requirements and food loss in fruit and vegetables

Background and Objective

Current scientific evidence suggests that the requirements of various companies in the food retail sector for fruit and vegetables go beyond the legal minimum requirements, thereby causing food losses in the supply chain. However, it has not yet been clarified which specific requirements and practices lead to which losses. The aim of this case study is to analyze the influence of the product requirements (e.g. in terms of appearance, size, shape and color) and business practices (e.g. in relation to ordering processes and communication) of a specific food retailing company on food losses. The case study examines selected supply chains of a German retailing company from Spain, Italy and Germany.

Target Group

scientists, food retail, policy makers, horticulture

Approach

Through interviews with relevant actors of the supply chain, we gain insights into the structure and organization of this retail company’s fruit and vegetable sourcing. The most important loss points and quality requirements are also determined during the interviews. An online survey with producers and producer associations serves to quantify losses resulting from distinct product requirements. Based on this, we estimate the reduction potential of fruit and vegetable losses using exemplary crops when adapting company-specific quality requirements and business practices. From this, recommendations for effective adaptation measures are derived.

Data and Methods

• qualitative interviews with relevant actors in the fruit and vegetable supply chain
• quantitative online survey with producers and producer associations

Our Research Questions

• Which company-specific product requirements and practices cause food losses in the supply chain of selected fruit and vegetable crops?
• How high are the food losses caused by these quality requirements and practices within the fruit and vegetable sector?
• What is the potential to reduce food losses by adapting company-specific quality requirements and practices?

Results

The results of the project contribute to a better understanding of the connections between product requirements and losses in the supply chain and show the potential of measures to reduce these losses.

Project Brief (DE), DOI: 10.3220/PB1672750685000

Project Brief (EN), DOI: 10.3220/PB1672750924000

Thünen Working Paper 202 (in German with English abstract), DOI: 10.3220/WP1668584175000

Product specifications and business practices as food loss drivers – A case study of a retailer's upstream fruit and vegetable supply chains, DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137940

Links and Downloads

https://zugutfuerdietonne.de/navigation/sub-footer-navigation/english

https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/food_practice/food_loss_and_waste/driven_to_waste_global_food_loss_on_farms/