This report translates the findings of the REFRESH project on consumer behaviour into policy recommendations. It helps national and regional policy makers in designing and improving appropriate interventions against food waste. It focus on policy instruments that aim to reduce consumer food waste including in-home and out-of-home consumption.
Report
Policy options for behaviour change including public campaigns
Policy Brief
This policy brief outlines the relevance of Unfair Trading Practices to understanding addressing food waste in the supply chain and makes recommendations on mitigating Unfair Trading Practices for a fairer and less wasteful supply chain.
Policy Brief
This policy brief outlines how to create a favourable context for the implementation of Voluntary Agreements (VAs) within any Member State to drive food waste reduction. The collaborative nature of VAs is furthermore highlighted, as the food waste savings target of a VA is more likely to be met via active involvement and collaboration of all supply chain actors.
Decision Support System
FORKLIFT (FOod side flow Recovery LIFe cycle Tool): Valorisation spreadsheet tool
FORKLIFT is a spreadsheet learning tool that indicates life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and costs for using selected food side flows . It allows users to interpret the results regarding the effects of intervention with the additional effect of making it possible to compare the results with alternative products available on the market.
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Database for food valorisation options to avoid food waste
The “FoodWasteEXplorer” is an online database that provides industry, SME, researchers, government agencies and the general public with access to the biochemical composition of agri-food chain waste streams. This information can be used to identify the level of certain compounds in different side streams so that the user can explore how food waste may be better managed and helps to identify market opportunities. Use of the FoodWasteEXplorer is free-of-charge and can be accessed at: ws.eurofir.org/foodwasteexplorer
Report
The nature, content, and format of on-pack guidance is thought to play a role in food waste generation, and therefore potentially in food waste prevention. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects on consumers of different contents and formats of guidance on food and drink packaging, using large-scale experiments.
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Helping retail and supply chain businesses to identify and prevent the causes of food waste
There are numerous of tools available which facilitate effective decision making, leading to actions that will prevent and valorise waste. This piece of work identifies the need for a gap analysis of existing guidance and tools, with the aim of helping to inform the development of Decision Support Systems (DSSs) by REFRESH. Outcomes of the work are summarised in this report.
Report
Deliverable 1.5
This report examines and evaluates the availability and effectiveness of existing ICT-based tools and smart technologies for food management and waste reduction by consumers. It results that consumers seem to be interested in apps that help in reducing food waste, but do not perceive a clear need to use these as they think that they do not waste much food. Further, results of the study indicate that user-friendliness is a key component.
Report
This research investigated the consumer understanding and acceptance of different valorisation methods for food surplus and side-flows. Of particular interest was the extent to which consumers accept and even appreciate products resulting from innovative waste valorisation processes. Results showed that although gleaning-based valorised products were deemed acceptable to be used within the setting of school lunches, the other valorisation methods were not, however, the participants did not view them as unsuitable for adult consumption.
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Description of standardised models for the valorisation spreadsheet tool for life-cycle assessment and life-cycle costing
The spreadsheet tool FORKLIFT was developed to help stakeholders gain a general understanding of the environmental impacts and costs for selected valorisation routes of a given food processing side flow. The approach enables the user to change different parameters and to try out how these changes affect the life cycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions. This report provides the general methodological background for the tool.
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Impact assessment texture processing. Deliverable 6.4
The report investigates using vegetable side streams, treated using a thermophysical technique known as steam explosion, as food ingredients and tests their functionality in model food products.
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Understanding current management approaches. Deliverable 6.3
The report provides a baseline understanding of the current management approaches identified in previous research undertaken by REFRESH with respect to the policy concept of a Waste Hierarchy. It categorises management approaches that have been identified for 20 selected food production residues.
Report
The model architecture described in this deliverable provides the framework through which data and simulations from the data on food waste at a consumer level and at a retail level can be integrated into simulation models. This report highlights the technical approaches followed to achieve model integration.
Flyer
This brochure describes the interim results of the REFRESH (Resource Efficient Food and dRink for the Entire Supply cHain) project through May 2018. REFRESH’s research into the behaviours, economics, and relationships that lead to food waste will inform future recommendations for efficient and versatile solutions to food waste at all levels of production.
Report
A policy assessment in select EU Member States
This report provides a qualitative assessment of Voluntary Agreements (VAs) and regulation against Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) as two typologies of policy interventions having an impact on food loss and waste.
Scientific Paper
This scientific paper analyses the benefits of agreements between charity organizations providing meals (e.g. soup kitchens) and the food industry. It shows that structural food donations reduce the overall costs of the soup kitchen and can contribute towards a good variety in the meals offered. Moreover, due to the redistribution of food, the overall waste levels in the supply chain are reduced.
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D3.3 Review of EU policy areas with relevant impact on food waste prevention and valorisation
The report provides an overview of the most relevant EU policies and instruments with an impact on food waste generation and/or prevention. It explains the relevance of the different policy areas at EU level and identifies the gaps, overlaps and unintended effects of EU regulation. Finally, it identifies potential opportunities for improvement in each policy area.
Scientific Paper
This peer-reviewed paper finds that consumer food waste is influenced by country, age, student status, and belief that the family wastes too much, and suggests how policy interventions can be designed to target these drivers.
Scientific Paper
This scientific paper explains the methodology used to assess household drivers of food waste and presents results on main food waste drivers and points for intervention.
Report
Pan-European research for quantified consumer food waste understanding
This report presents insights about in-home food waste, including: the amounts wasted, household’s food prevention practices, and the influence of motivation, abilities, and opportunities on household food waste. It is based on a large-scale consumer survey in Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Spain.
