EXPLORATORY RESEARCH OF FOOD WASTE GENERATION AND FOOD WASTE PREVENTION IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY – THE CASE OF ZAGREB RESTAURANTS

Abstract

Food supply chains and their coordination (delivering requested amounts of food on time, to the right location, with minimum food waste) are becoming more complex nowadays and they present a growing challenge for all food supply chain participants, from producers and retailers in service industries to end consumers. It is beyond doubt that food waste has become a global issue of our time as a result of mass food production. Researches have shown that most food is wasted at the end of the supply chain, i.e. in the hospitality industry and in households. It is precisely for this reason that this paper aims at a more detailed research of food waste in catering facilities, i.e. in restaurants. For the purpose of this paper, exploratory research was conducted on a sample of 20 restaurants in Zagreb via an anonymous questionnaire which analysed food waste and the possibilities of its prevention. Results indicate that restaurants are familiar with food waste issues and that most food is wasted in the process of food preparation (before serving). Restaurants are getting more and more concerned regarding waste, but recycling or food donating is still not a part of standard restaurant business practice. In conclusion, there is a necessity of raising employee and guest awareness of the growing food waste quantities, as well as of proper methods of food waste management that can prevent it.

Key words: food supply chain, food waste, hospitality industry, restaurants, food waste prevention methods, Zagreb