Digital food sharing: motivation and practice of sharing in Czechia

Abstract

The article focuses on the topic of sharing food using digital platforms (websites, social media, mobile applications). These activities have been on the rise in Czechia since 2015 and are, therefore, a new and dynamic phenomenon. Digital sharing can make a significant contribution to reducing food waste and making the most of existing resources. First, we will briefly introduce the initiatives in Czechia and then we will focus on those for which the digital form is crucial. Based on semi-structured interviews with the organizers of selected sharing platforms, we will answer what motivations people in Czechia must have to establish these initiatives. We will also show that there is a difference in approach to the topic of food waste and sustainable food consumption between initiators and platform users. While the organizers are usually strongly aware of the need to address the environmental problem of waste, users show so-called quiet sustainability, where they act in an environmentally friendly way without their primary motivation.