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Assessing the Monetary Value and Environmental Impact of Household Food Waste in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Marta Antonelli

    (Barilla Foundation, 43122 Parma, Italy)

  • Claudia Giordano

    (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 00790 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Maria Vincenza Chiriacò

    (Foundation CMCC—Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Silene Casari

    (Barilla Foundation, 43122 Parma, Italy)

  • Elena Cadel

    (Barilla Foundation, 43122 Parma, Italy)

  • Pin-Jane Chen

    (Barilla Foundation, 43122 Parma, Italy)

  • Andrea Magnani

    (Barilla Foundation, 43122 Parma, Italy)

  • Gabriele Pizzileo

    (Foundation CMCC—Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Luca Falasconi

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

  • Fabrizio Alboni

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

  • Clara Cicatiello

    (Department of Innovation in Biology, Agri-Food and Forest System, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

Abstract

Household food waste accounts for a significant share of total food waste. In 2022, around 1.05 billion tons of food waste were generated—60% of which came from households. In the EU, households generate 54% of the total food waste. In Italy, according to a former diary study, avoidable household food waste accounts for 529.9 g per capita per week. Building on this data, this study assesses the monetary value of food waste at the household level in 6 provinces across the country, considering the prices of food items recorded by the Italian Observatory of market prices. Moreover, the environmental impacts of household food waste (greenhouse gas emissions, water consumed, and land used) were investigated based on existing data from well-grounded scientific literature. The results show that the monetary value of food waste ranges from EUR 357.43 to EUR 404.62 per household per year, corresponding to 5–7% of the average household expenditure for food. The environmental impacts per household per year account for 149 kgCO 2 eq, which contributes to climate change. In addition, household food waste is responsible for 303,498 L of water consumed and 1426 m 2 of land used. The results of this study can be integrated into National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), to integrate food waste reduction into energy savings and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Antonelli & Claudia Giordano & Maria Vincenza Chiriacò & Silene Casari & Elena Cadel & Pin-Jane Chen & Andrea Magnani & Gabriele Pizzileo & Luca Falasconi & Fabrizio Alboni & Clara Cicatiello, 2024. "Assessing the Monetary Value and Environmental Impact of Household Food Waste in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:23:p:10614-:d:1536161
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Buzby, Jean C. & Hyman, Jeffrey, 2012. "Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 561-570.
    2. Vargas-Lopez, Adrian & Cicatiello, Clara & Principato, Ludovica & Secondi, Luca, 2022. "Consumer expenditure, elasticity and value of food waste: A Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System for evaluating changes in Mexico during COVID-19," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    3. Rosa Maria Fanelli, 2019. "Using Causal Maps to Analyse the Major Root Causes of Household Food Waste: Results of a Survey among People from Central and Southern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, February.
    4. 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.
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