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Characteristics and Determinants of Domestic Food Waste: A Representative Diary Study across Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Ronja Herzberg

    (Thünen Institute of Rural Studies, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Thomas G. Schmidt

    (Thünen Institute of Rural Studies, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Felicitas Schneider

    (Thünen Institute of Market Analysis, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany)

Abstract

As it is the case in many industrialized countries, household food waste accounts for a large share of total food waste in Germany. Within this study, the characteristics of edible and inedible domestic food waste, the reasons for discarding food and the potential influence of socio-demographic factors on food waste generation are assessed. A data set of 6853 households who participated in a diary study in 2016 and 2017 was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics, parametric tests, and linear regression. The results indicate that perishable products such as vegetables, fruits, and bread are mainly affected by disposal. Moreover, household food waste occurs due to quantity problems at purchase for small households and quantity problems at home for larger households and households with children. Despite statistically significant differences in food waste amounts between household lifecycle stages, age of the head of household, household size, and size category of the municipality, socio-demographic factors have a limited power in predicting a household’s food waste level. The study has important implications for food waste policy and research regarding the issues of food waste prevention measures, quantification methodologies, and monitoring implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronja Herzberg & Thomas G. Schmidt & Felicitas Schneider, 2020. "Characteristics and Determinants of Domestic Food Waste: A Representative Diary Study across Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4702-:d:369146
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schmidt, Thomas G. & Baumgardt, Sandra & Blumenthal, Antonia & Burdick, Bernhard & Claupein, Erika & Dirksmeyer, Walter & Hafner, Gerold & Klockgether, Kathrin & Koch, Franziska & Leverenz, Dominik & , 2019. "Wege zur Reduzierung von Lebensmittelabfällen - Pathways to reduce food waste (REFOWAS): Maßnahmen, Bewertungsrahmen und Analysewerkzeuge sowie zukunftsfähige Ansätze für einen nachhaltigen Umgang mit Lebensmitteln unter Einbindung sozio-ökologischer," Thünen Reports 73,1, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    2. Juliane Jörissen & Carmen Priefer & Klaus-Rainer Bräutigam, 2015. "Food Waste Generation at Household Level: Results of a Survey among Employees of Two European Research Centers in Italy and Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Claudia Giordano & Fabrizio Alboni & Luca Falasconi, 2019. "Quantities, Determinants, and Awareness of Households’ Food Waste in Italy: A Comparison between Diary and Questionnaires Quantities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-15, June.
    4. Secondi, Luca & Principato, Ludovica & Laureti, Tiziana, 2015. "Household food waste behaviour in EU-27 countries: A multilevel analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 25-40.
    5. Schmidt, Thomas G. & Baumgardt, Sandra & Blumenthal, Antonia & Burdick, Bernhard & Claupein, Erika & Dirksmeyer, Walter & Hafner, Gerold & Klockgether, Kathrin & Koch, Franziska & Leverenz, Dominik & , 2019. "Wege zur Reduzierung von Lebensmittelabfällen - Pathways to reduce food waste (REFOWAS): Maßnahmen, Bewertungsrahmen und Analysewerkzeuge sowie zukunftsfähige Ansätze für einen nachhaltigen Umgang mit Lebensmitteln unter Einbindung sozio-ökologischer," Thünen Reports 73,2, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
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