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The Management of Unsold Food in Outdoor Market Areas: Food Operators’ Behaviour and Attitudes

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  • Giovanni Peira

    (Department of Management, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica 218 bis, 10134 Turin, Italy
    NatRisk—Research Centre on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, Grugliasco, 10095 Turin, Italy)

  • Luigi Bollani

    (ESOMAS Department, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica 218 bis, 10134 Turin, Italy)

  • Chiara Giachino

    (Department of Management, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica 218 bis, 10134 Turin, Italy)

  • Alessandro Bonadonna

    (Department of Management, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica 218 bis, 10134 Turin, Italy
    NatRisk—Research Centre on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, Grugliasco, 10095 Turin, Italy)

Abstract

Food wastage has been widely discussed and investigated from different perspectives in literature. The EU-28 produces about 88 million tonnes of food wastage every year, making the awareness of this phenomenon a vital matter. This paper focuses on the outdoor-market operators’ perception and behaviour towards the food waste phenomenon in a particular phase of the agro-food supply chain. It assesses the different approaches used to manage unsold produce and its destination. A sample of 214 market retailers in the Greater Torino market areas of Italy were identified, to whom a questionnaire was administered by interview to analyze the main actors involved in the food-wastage process and profile them according to their perception, behaviour, and attitude. The results show that there are three distinct kinds of market operators, i.e., farmers, peddlers, and hybrids. Their attitudes and behaviour towards unsold food differ, as does their inclination towards a sustainable approach, which depends on their personal experience and role in the supply chain. Moreover, the results provide some relevant elements that may contribute to improving the management of the food-waste phenomenon. Moreover, they bring some useful evidence to light that could lay the basis of more effective tools to be put at the disposal of various institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanni Peira & Luigi Bollani & Chiara Giachino & Alessandro Bonadonna, 2018. "The Management of Unsold Food in Outdoor Market Areas: Food Operators’ Behaviour and Attitudes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:4:p:1180-:d:141042
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    2. Giovanni Peira & Riccardo Beltramo & Maria Beatrice Pairotti & Alessandro Bonadonna, 2018. "Foodservice in a UNESCO Site: The Restaurateurs’ Perception on Communication and Promotion Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Beata Bilska & Marzena Tomaszewska & Danuta Kołożyn-Krajewska, 2022. "The Management of Meals in Food Service Establishments in the Context of Food Waste—Results of Focus Group Interviews with Employees and Owners," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.
    4. Giachino, Chiara & Pattanaro, Giulio & Bertoldi, Bernardo & Bollani, Luigi & Bonadonna, Alessandro, 2021. "Nature-based solutions and their potential to attract the young generations," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    5. Stefano Duglio & Alessandro Bonadonna & Marilisa Letey & Giovanni Peira & Laura Zavattaro & Giampiero Lombardi, 2019. "Tourism Development in Inner Mountain Areas—The Local Stakeholders’ Point of View through a Mixed Method Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Nobuyoshi Yasunaga, 2020. "Classification of collective actions for rural community vitalization in Chugoku Mountainous region, Japan: applying multiple correspondence analysis," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 553-592, June.

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