Food wastage and consumerism in circular economy: a review and research directions

Title

Food wastage and consumerism in circular economy: a review and research directions

Creator

Agarwal A.; Srivastava S.; Gupta A.; Singh G.

Description

Purpose: Considering food waste as a global problem resulting from the wastage of valuable resources that could fulfil the requirements of malnourished people, the current research focusses on understanding consumerisms impact on this phenomenon. Additionally, the circular economy (CE) approach can be critical in reducing food waste and promoting sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted using bibliometrics and network analysis. The study reviewed 326 articles within 10 years, from 2013 to 2023. Findings: The findings reveal four prominent factors behavioural, environmental, socioeconomic and technological in managing food waste (FW). Reducing FW at a holistic level can benefit individuals and the environment in several ways. Research limitations/implications: Consumers are encouraged to be more responsible for their food consumption by reducing food waste, as it affects societies and businesses both economically and environmentally. This can help promote a responsible consumption culture that values quality over quantity and encourages people to make more informed choices about what they eat and how they dispose of it post-consumption. All stakeholders, including firms, the government and consumers, must examine the motives behind inculcating pro-environmental behaviour. Originality/value: Addressing consumerism and the ability to decrease FW behaviour are complex issues that require a multidimensional approach. This study seeks to fill the gap in understanding consumerism and the capacity to reduce FW using the CE approach and understand the research gaps and future research trends. 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Source

British Food Journal, Vol-126, No. 6, pp. 2561-2587.

Date

2024-01-01

Publisher

Emerald Publishing

Subject

Bibliometric analysis; Circular economy; Consumerism; Food waste; Network analysis; Systematic review

Coverage

Agarwal A., School of Management, BML Munjal University, Gurgaon, India; Srivastava S., Operations and Decision Sciences, Christ University, Bangalore, India; Gupta A., Marketing Area, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi, India; Singh G., The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji

Rights

Restricted Access

Relation

ISSN: 0007070X

Format

Online

Language

English

Type

Review

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-04-2023-0272

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85191252618&doi=10.1108%2fBFJ-04-2023-0272&partnerID=40&md5=e9cd3b9838b17263128b0488e391e55a