Food Sharing Platforms as a Technology to Reduce Food Waste at Food Service Level: Recommendations for Businesses and Society

Abstract

Despite the growing awareness of food waste (FW) issues, there is still a lack of comprehensive studies that examine the perspectives of food service professionals and their FW management, particularly regarding food sharing practices. This paper investigates the perspectives of food service establishments on FW mitigation and on their engagement with digital technologies such as food-sharing platforms. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, it explores the motivations, challenges, and dynamics associated with public establishments' involvement in FW mitigation. Primarily, this paper addresses 4 key questions: (1) the significance of FW mitigation challenges among public establishments in Italy, (2) the driving factors and FW mitigation potential, (3) the impacts of digital technology adoption on public services, and (4) strategies to enhance the acceptability and effectiveness of digital technologies for FW mitigation. Our findings reveal a high level of awareness within public administration in particular about FW and its impacts, especially economic loss. Challenges in FW mitigation stem from both internal and external factors, including implementation costs and client preferences. Indeed, the results reveal a discrepancy between our intentions and actions, often due to utility and perceptual barriers, the service challenges faced by clients, and differences in business performance across establishments. The study stresses the need for inclusive technology adoption to make the best use of digital tools in FW reduction. Strategies should address internal and external barriers while capitalizing on diversity motivations driving public sector engagement with FW mitigation. Practical implications include promoting inclusion in digital transition and targeted interventions to reduce FW in the food service sector. Overall, the study makes a theoretical contribution to this topic and offers insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to enhance more sustainable and circular food systems.