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Challenges of Food Waste Governance: An Assessment of European Legislation on Food Waste and Recommendations for Improvement by Economic Instruments

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  • Beatrice Garske

    (Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Policy, 04229 Leipzig, Germany
    Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany)

  • Katharine Heyl

    (Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Policy, 04229 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Felix Ekardt

    (Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Policy, 04229 Leipzig, Germany
    Faculty of Law and Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany)

  • Lea Moana Weber

    (Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Policy, 04229 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Wiktoria Gradzka

    (Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Policy, 04229 Leipzig, Germany)

Abstract

Food is wasted throughout the entire food supply chain—from agricultural production to the household level. This has negative impacts on natural resources and the environment. At the same time, food waste is undermining the global target of food security. In turn, reducing food waste can minimise the environmental effects of agriculture on climate, biodiversity, soils, water bodies and the atmosphere. All of this is reflected in the fact that food waste is subject to various legal acts of the European Union and that it is also a major subject in the new EU Farm to Fork Strategy from May 2020. Supported by an analysis of the diffuse empirical data on food waste, the purpose of this article is to analyse the current EU legislation on food waste and its reduction to answer the following research questions: How is food waste integrated into European policies? What is the impact of European legislation on food waste? Is European legislation sufficient to trigger not only food waste reduction but also comprehensive changes in the agricultural and food sector to support global climate and environmental targets as set in the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity? Which instruments are the most suitable to do so? Methodologically, a qualitative governance analysis is applied. It is found that relevant legal acts for governing food waste include circular economy and waste law, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy as well as food law, while international environmental targets serve as an overarching measure for governance analysis. The legal analysis shows that existing legislation lacks steering effect to significantly reduce food waste. To overcome current governance problems, the article introduces economic policy instruments. It is concluded that quantity control focusing on overarching parameters such as fossil fuels or animal-derived products has not only the potential to reduce food waste by increasing food prices but can also address the multiple interlinked environmental challenges of the agricultural and food sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatrice Garske & Katharine Heyl & Felix Ekardt & Lea Moana Weber & Wiktoria Gradzka, 2020. "Challenges of Food Waste Governance: An Assessment of European Legislation on Food Waste and Recommendations for Improvement by Economic Instruments," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-23, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:7:p:231-:d:385597
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Aiolfi, Simone, 2023. "Green Digital Nudging and channel relationships," OSF Preprints 8wuzy, Center for Open Science.
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    11. Giulia Chiaraluce & Deborah Bentivoglio & Adele Finco, 2021. "Circular Economy for a Sustainable Agri-Food Supply Chain: A Review for Current Trends and Future Pathways," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-21, August.
    12. Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann & Michał Gazdecki & Krystyna Rejman & Sylwia Łaba & Joanna Kobus-Cisowska & Krystian Szczepański, 2021. "Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, September.
    13. Mirela Stanciu & Agatha Popescu & Iuliana Antonie & Camelia Sava & Bogdan Gabriel Nistoreanu, 2022. "Good Practices on Reducing Food Waste Throughout the Food Supply Chain," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(60), pages 566-566, April.
    14. Rosalinda Nicastro & Petronia Carillo, 2021. "Food Loss and Waste Prevention Strategies from Farm to Fork," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, May.
    15. Nimni Pannila & Madushan Madhava Jayalath & Amila Thibbotuwawa & Izabela Nielsen & T.G.G. Uthpala, 2022. "Challenges in Applying Circular Economy Concepts to Food Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-24, December.
    16. Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann & Michał Gazdecki & Krystyna Rejman & Joanna Kobus-Cisowska & Sylwia Łaba & Robert Łaba, 2020. "How to Prevent Bread Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry?—Measurement, Causes, Management and Prevention," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-24, December.
    17. Beatrice Garske & Antonia Bau & Felix Ekardt, 2021. "Digitalization and AI in European Agriculture: A Strategy for Achieving Climate and Biodiversity Targets?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-21, April.
    18. Katharine Heyl & Felix Ekardt & Paula Roos & Jessica Stubenrauch & Beatrice Garske, 2021. "Free Trade, Environment, Agriculture, and Plurilateral Treaties: The Ambivalent Example of Mercosur, CETA, and the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-24, March.
    19. Dimitrie Stoica & Angela-Eliza Micu & Maricica Stoica, 2022. "The Impact of Economic Drivers on Food Loss Management," Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(1), pages 753-761, September.
    20. Yannis E. Doukas & Luca Salvati & Ioannis Vardopoulos, 2023. "Unraveling the European Agricultural Policy Sustainable Development Trajectory," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-24, September.

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