Assessing the food circularity capabilities in European Union countries: Picture fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach

Abstract

Food circularity is crucial for meeting the primary needs of both current and future generations. Since food waste, which continues to increase today, cannot be prevented, it is vital to identify the countries’ food circularity capabilities. This study addresses a gap in the literature by evaluating the food circularity capabilities of European Union member countries. It is the first to determine the significance of criteria for assessing food circularity capabilities while also presenting and analytically discussing the performance levels of these countries. The importance levels of the criteria are determined using the Picture Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process. Subsequently, European Union member countries are ranked based on their food circularity capabilities using the Additive Ratio Assessment method. The results indicate that the most critical criteria are food waste and the recycling rate of municipal waste. Sweden, Malta, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria are the top five performing countries. In contrast, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria rank among the least capable countries regarding food circularity. These findings can assist policymakers and researchers in gaining a deeper understanding of the food circularity capabilities of European Union member countries within the context of sustainable development.