IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i11p6914-d832412.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Quantifying Food Waste in the Hospitality Sector and Exploring Its Underlying Reasons—A Case Study of Lahore, Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Nouman Afzal

    (Food and Markets, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Lahore 54600, Pakistan)

  • Abdul Basit

    (Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China)

  • Adil Daniel

    (Food and Markets, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Lahore 54600, Pakistan)

  • Nausheen Ilyas

    (Kauser Abdulla School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore 54600, Pakistan)

  • Asad Imran

    (Food and Markets, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Lahore 54600, Pakistan)

  • Zoia Arshad Awan

    (Food and Markets, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Lahore 54600, Pakistan)

  • Effie Papargyropoulou

    (Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

  • Lindsay C. Stringer

    (Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK)

  • Mohamed Hashem

    (Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
    Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt)

  • Saad Alamri

    (Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia)

  • Muhammad Amjad Bashir

    (Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan)

  • Yunzhou Li

    (Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China)

  • Nazish Roy

    (Kauser Abdulla School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore 54600, Pakistan)

Abstract

Given that about 40% of the total food produced globally is lost or wasted, there is an urgent need to understand what, where, why and how much food waste is generated. In this study, we collected the much-needed primary empirical data from the restaurants, hotels and caterers of Lahore, Pakistan through surveys and live tracking/diaries. Specifically, two key performance indicators, waste per customer (g) and percentage waste per day (%), were measured. Waste per customer was found to be 79.9 g (survey) and 73.4 g (live tracking) for restaurants, 138.4 g for hotels and 140.0 g for caterers. Similarly, the percentage of waste per day (%) was found to be 15% (survey) and 17% (live tracking) for restaurants. Results revealed that customer plate leftovers were reported to be the primary source of food waste, followed by inaccurate customer forecasting. Given the food waste levels identified in this study, the development and adoption of a national goal and target aimed at food waste reduction could usefully guide the efforts of all stakeholders. To achieve this, we need to build the capacity of all the relevant stakeholders on food loss and waste measurements and ensure national food waste reporting.

Suggested Citation

  • Nouman Afzal & Abdul Basit & Adil Daniel & Nausheen Ilyas & Asad Imran & Zoia Arshad Awan & Effie Papargyropoulou & Lindsay C. Stringer & Mohamed Hashem & Saad Alamri & Muhammad Amjad Bashir & Yunzhou, 2022. "Quantifying Food Waste in the Hospitality Sector and Exploring Its Underlying Reasons—A Case Study of Lahore, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6914-:d:832412
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6914/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6914/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cattaneo, Andrea & Federighi, Giovanni & Vaz, Sara, 2021. "The environmental impact of reducing food loss and waste: A critical assessment," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    2. Engstrom, Rebecka & Carlsson-Kanyama, Annika, 2004. "Food losses in food service institutions Examples from Sweden," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 203-213, June.
    3. Bettina A. Lorenz & Monika Hartmann & Stefan Hirsch & Olga Kanz & Nina Langen, 2017. "Determinants of Plate Leftovers in One German Catering Company," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Effie Papargyropoulou & Julia K. Steinberger & Nigel Wright & Rodrigo Lozano & Rory Padfield & Zaini Ujang, 2019. "Patterns and Causes of Food Waste in the Hospitality and Food Service Sector: Food Waste Prevention Insights from Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Raquel Diaz-Ruiz & Montserrat Costa-Font & Feliu López-i-Gelats & José M. Gil, 2018. "A Sum of Incidentals or a Structural Problem? The True Nature of Food Waste in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Michael F. Maniates, 2001. "Individualization: Plant a Tree, Buy a Bike, Save the World?," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 1(3), pages 31-52, August.
    7. Luca Falasconi & Matteo Vittuari & Alessandro Politano & Andrea Segrè, 2015. "Food Waste in School Catering: An Italian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-16, November.
    8. Charlotte A. Spring & Robin Biddulph, 2020. "Capturing Waste or Capturing Innovation? Comparing Self-Organising Potentials of Surplus Food Redistribution Initiatives to Prevent Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. João Tomaz Simões & Jakson Renner Rodrigues Soares & Xosé M. Santos, 2023. "A Conceptual Framework Proposal Regarding the Engagement of Hotels in the Modern Fight against Unsustainable Food Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Christopher Malefors & Pieter Callewaert & Per-Anders Hansson & Hanna Hartikainen & Oona Pietiläinen & Ingrid Strid & Christina Strotmann & Mattias Eriksson, 2019. "Towards a Baseline for Food-Waste Quantification in the Hospitality Sector—Quantities and Data Processing Criteria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-22, June.
    2. Marzena Tomaszewska & Beata Bilska & Agnieszka Tul-Krzyszczuk & Danuta Kołożyn-Krajewska, 2021. "Estimation of the Scale of Food Waste in Hotel Food Services—A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Aleksander Buczacki & Bartłomiej Gładysz & Erika Palmer, 2021. "HoReCa Food Waste and Sustainable Development Goals—A Systemic View," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Annika Johanna Thies & Felicitas Schneider & Josef Efken, 2021. "The Meat We Do Not Eat. A Survey of Meat Waste in German Hospitality and Food Service Businesses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Marzena Tomaszewska & Beata Bilska & Danuta Kołożyn-Krajewska, 2022. "Behavior of Polish Consumers in Relation to Meals Ordered in Food Service Establishments in the Context of Plate Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Adriana Antón-Peset & Maria-Angeles Fernandez-Zamudio & Tatiana Pina, 2021. "Promoting Food Waste Reduction at Primary Schools. A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Christina Strotmann & Silke Friedrich & Judith Kreyenschmidt & Petra Teitscheid & Guido Ritter, 2017. "Comparing Food Provided and Wasted before and after Implementing Measures against Food Waste in Three Healthcare Food Service Facilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Birisci, Esma & McGarvey, Ronald G., 2022. "Cost-versus environmentally-optimal production in institutional food service operations," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    9. Rosalinda Nicastro & Petronia Carillo, 2021. "Food Loss and Waste Prevention Strategies from Farm to Fork," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, May.
    10. Jelena Lonska & Anda Zvaigzne & Inta Kotane & Inese Silicka & Lienite Litavniece & Sergejs Kodors & Juta Deksne & Aija Vonoga, 2022. "Plate Waste in School Catering in Rezekne, Latvia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-26, March.
    11. Florian Rösler & Judith Kreyenschmidt & Guido Ritter, 2021. "Recommendation of Good Practice in the Food-Processing Industry for Preventing and Handling Food Loss and Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-30, August.
    12. Zhigang, X. & Zongli, Z. & Funing, Z. & Junfei, B., 2018. "The Effect of Preference for Variety and Portion Size on Consumer s Plate Waste in China s Foodservice Sector," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276951, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Jing Li & Wei Li & Lei Wang & Baihui Jin, 2021. "Environmental and Cost Impacts of Food Waste in University Canteen from a Life Cycle Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Effie Papargyropoulou & Julia K. Steinberger & Nigel Wright & Rodrigo Lozano & Rory Padfield & Zaini Ujang, 2019. "Patterns and Causes of Food Waste in the Hospitality and Food Service Sector: Food Waste Prevention Insights from Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-21, October.
    15. Belén Derqui & Teresa Fayos & Vicenc Fernandez, 2016. "Towards a More Sustainable Food Supply Chain: Opening up Invisible Waste in Food Service," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-20, July.
    16. Malefors, Christopher & Secondi, Luca & Marchetti, Stefano & Eriksson, Mattias, 2022. "Food waste reduction and economic savings in times of crisis: The potential of machine learning methods to plan guest attendance in Swedish public catering during the Covid-19 pandemic," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    17. Larissa Diekmann & Claas Christian Germelmann, 2021. "Leftover Consumption as a Means of Food Waste Reduction in Public Space? Qualitative Insights from Online Discussions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-30, December.
    18. Papargyropoulou, Effie & Fearnyough, Kate & Spring, Charlotte & Antal, Lucy, 2022. "The future of surplus food redistribution in the UK: Reimagining a ‘win-win’ scenario," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    19. Riggi, E. & Avola, G., 2010. "Quantification of the waste stream from fresh tomato packinghouses and its fluctuations: Implications for waste management planning," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 54(7), pages 436-441.
    20. Gabriel, Andreas & Rombach, Meike & Wieser, Hannah & Bitsch, Vera, 2021. "Got waste: knowledge, behavior and self-assessment on food waste of university students in Germany," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 24(6), February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6914-:d:832412. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.