Olabode Oluwole, Kumar Niraj, De Debashree
Essex Business School, University of Essex, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1LW, United Kingdom.
J Environ Manage. 2025 Jul;387:125718. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125718. Epub 2025 May 22.
Food loss and waste (FLW) represents critical challenge to environmentally sustainable development, impacting food security, waste management, and climate change. One-third of the world's food is disposed of, with 13 % lost between harvest and the supply chain and 17 % wasted domestically and in food services. Food loss and waste (FLW) in retail supply chains is a critical issue demanding new frameworks due to its significant economic, social, and environmental impacts, including pollution, resource depletion, and climate change contributions. Effective operational and inventory management practices to reduce FLW can yield significant cost savings and increased economic and environmental performance of the retail supply chain. A new framework is needed to combine all aspects related to logistics, packaging, and management practices to comprehensively address the FLW issue in the retail chain. This study critically analyses empirical research from 2009 to 2025 to identify key research gaps and to propose strategies for FLW reduction. The research identifies three primary gaps: limited focus on FLW due to inefficient packaging strategies, insufficient information on logistical inefficiencies that cause FLW, and scarce literature on how management practices affect perishable food chain. By addressing these gaps, the study aims to enhance understanding of FLW reduction strategies, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches and cooperation across the supply chain. By examining the impact of packaging, logistics, and management practices, this research provides insights into improving operational performance through the reduction of FLW and development of sustainable waste management systems. The findings underscore importance of proactive actions and innovation from both public authorities and private sector in reducing FLW. Effective strategies for FLW reduction can lead to significant environmental, social, and economic benefits, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient food supply chain.
粮食损失和浪费（FLW）对环境可持续发展构成了严峻挑战，影响着粮食安全、废物管理和气候变化。全球三分之一的粮食被丢弃，其中13%在收获后至供应链环节损失，17%在家庭和食品服务环节被浪费。零售供应链中的粮食损失和浪费（FLW）是一个关键问题，由于其对经济、社会和环境产生重大影响，包括污染、资源枯竭和对气候变化的影响，因此需要新的框架。有效的运营和库存管理措施来减少FLW可以显著节省成本，并提高零售供应链的经济和环境绩效。需要一个新的框架来整合与物流、包装和管理措施相关的各个方面，以全面解决零售链中的FLW问题。本研究批判性地分析了2009年至2025年的实证研究，以确定关键的研究差距，并提出减少FLW的策略。该研究确定了三个主要差距：由于包装策略效率低下，对FLW的关注有限；关于导致FLW的物流效率低下的信息不足；关于管理措施如何影响易腐食品链的文献稀缺。通过解决这些差距，该研究旨在增进对减少FLW策略的理解，强调需要采取综合方法并在供应链各环节开展合作。通过研究包装、物流和管理措施的影响，本研究为通过减少FLW和开发可持续废物管理系统来提高运营绩效提供了见解。研究结果强调了公共当局和私营部门在减少FLW方面采取积极行动和创新的重要性。有效的减少FLW策略可以带来显著的环境、社会和经济效益，有助于建立更可持续、高效的粮食供应链。
