Exploring Sustainable Food Waste in Hotels: Practices, Challenges and Managerial Perceptions

Food waste management represents an important economic and environmental challenge for the hospitality sector on a global level, and especially for markets that are still developing, such as Serbia. This exploratory qualitative pilot study supported by descriptive statistics based on expert interviews investigates management perceptions of food waste in Belgrade’s hotels, analyzing the gap between sustainability food waste awareness and operational implementation within a transitional economy. An exploratory pilot study was conducted using a purposive sample of nine general managers from upscale hotels. Interviews with general managers were conducted in person and data was collected via a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The results suggest that general managers perceive food waste reduction primarily as a cost-saving measure rather than a strategic driver of profitability. Using Upper Echelons Theory (UET), this research provides insights into how management-level cognition shapes sustainability routines. The findings offer a preliminary framework for integrating basic training modules and transparent cost-tracking systems to transition from passive to proactive sustainable operations in the Serbian hospitality sector. This exploratory pilot study advances hospitality sustainability research by offering preliminary insights into managerial cognition concerning food waste within a transitional tourism economy.