How Food Waste is Created Throughout the Supply Chain

by Sarah Ghafoor

According to the National Zero Waste Council, Canadians waste almost 2.2 million tonnes of food every year, where 63% could have been salvaged. Food waste is a growing concern that carries both environmental and economic costs throughout the supply chain.

Farm

Farmers often plant more food than demanded to compensate for produce that may be ruined by pests and weather conditions, where the surplus is disposed of. Market conditions can often lead farmers to leave crops if it is not worth the labour or transportation costs needed to harvest.

Manufacturing

Production and distribution processes are responsible for 20% of total food waste in Canada (Retail Council of Canada, 2018.) Produce can be discarded if it does not meet manufacturer-set guidelines for product size and weight. Using suboptimal packaging and storing methods throughout the distribution process can reduce the shelf life of perishable goods.

Retailer

Grocery stores contribute to food waste by encouraging overconsumption through promotions and frequent product launches. In recent years, many retailers have introduced programs to sell produce with minor, usually cosmetic, imperfections. No Name’s “Naturally Imperfect” produce line retails up to 30% less for fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away (Chan, 2021.) Retailers are also focusing on reducing excessive ordering of perishables through advanced inventory control.

Consumer

Second Harvest, a local food rescue organization, suggests the two main causes for consumer-level food waste are buying food on sale and throwing out the surplus and using best-before dates as an indicator of safety (Janus, 2019.) It’s important to be aware of marketing ploys that encourage overconsumption, particularly for perishable foods. Best before, sell-by and use-by dates are generally conservative indicators of quality when many foods would be safe to eat days after the posted date. To increase shelf life try planning meals, freezing leftovers, and finishing foods that expire soon instead of eating out.

References

Chan, C. (2021, March 9). Consumers more likely to buy ‘ugly’ produce labelled ‘ugly. Canada.com. https://o.canada.com/news/consumers-more-likely-to-buy-ugly-produce-labelled-ugly.

Food waste in the home. (2021, February 23). Love Food Hate Waste. https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/about/food-waste/.

Janus, A. (2019, January 17). More than half of all food produced in Canada is lost or wasted, report says. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/food-waste-report-second-harvest-1.4981728.

Where retailers stand in the food waste crisis. (2018, November 15). Retail Council of Canada. https://www.retailcouncil.org/community/supply-chain/where-retailers-stand-in-the-food-waste-crisis/.