Optimising food loss and waste measurement practices in the South African grocery retail sector

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dc.contributor.advisorDe Lange, Willemen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorHobson, Suzaanen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Food Science.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-03T08:39:21Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T07:17:33Z
dc.date.available2023-03-03T08:39:21Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T07:17:33Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MScFoodSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Food loss and waste (FLW) has economic, environmental, and reputational implications for retailers. According to South Africa's FLW Voluntary Agreement, to move towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 (reduce FLW by 50% by 2030) the grocery retail sector’s primary response should be to develop a baseline for tonnes of FLW in operations by destination. Without accurate quantification systems in place, the retail sector cannot track progress against targets and identify hotspots. The Voluntary Agreement encourages retailers to use the World Resources Institute’s FLW Accounting and Reporting Standard. It is widely used for quantifying food throughout the supply chain. This research study aimed to determine the appropriateness of the FLW Standard and its complementary reporting template as a tool to accurately quantify FLW for South African retailers. The research procedure involved using data from a major South African retailer to populate the FLW Standard’s reporting template. Qualitative and quantitative FLW secondary data was used for a 3-month trial period across all the retailer’s stores in South Africa. This data was used to identify areas for improvement and to investigate measures that can be taken to reduce FLW in this stage of the food supply chain. It was found that the FLW Standard provides a reliable and consistent methodology for measuring, reporting, and managing FLW. Limitations and challenges were discussed- such as capturing product weight data and streamlining data from contracted waste collectors. The reporting tool was praised for encouraging transparency and guiding the retailer in implementing measurement best practices. Based on the success of the case study it was concluded that the use of this FLW Standard and its reporting template will support South African retailers in their efforts to make progress against the SDG 12.3 target. The study also succeeded in contributing to the knowledge gap pertaining to FLW quantification in the South African retail sector. Several recommendations were made to improve the reporting template for better FLW data optimisation, such as using the results of the reporting template to build a business case for FLW reduction initiatives. Tool plugins linking FLW tonnage to a carbon footprint and other embedded resource statistics are a possible future addition that can be made. It will be beneficial for the retail sector to move towards mandatory FLW reporting; however, retailers should be cognisant that efforts focused on tackling the causes of FLW should be conducted in parallel.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voedselverlies en -vermorsing (FLW) het ekonomiese, omgewings- en reputasie-implikasies vir kleinhandelaars. Volgens Suid-Afrika se FLW Vrywillige Ooreenkoms, om nader aan die bereiking van SDG 12.3 (verminder FLW met 50% teen 2030) te beweeg, moet die kleinhandelsektor se primêre reaksie wees om 'n basislyn te ontwikkel vir tonne FLW volgens bestemming. Sonder akkurate kwantifiseringstelsels in plek, kan die kleinhandelsektor nie vordering teen teikens volg en brandpunte identifiseer nie. Die vrywillige ooreenkoms moedig kleinhandelaars aan om die World Resources Institute se FLW Accounting and Reporting Standard te gebruik. Dit word wyd gebruik om voedsel regdeur die voorsieningsketting te kwantifiseer. Hierdie navorsingstudie het die doel gehad om die toepaslikheid te toets van die FLW Standaard en sy komplementêre verslagdoening templaat as 'n instrument om FLW akkuraat vir Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelaars te kwantifiseer. Die navorsingsprosedure behels die gebruik van data van 'n groot Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelaar om die FLW Standard se verslagdoeningstemplaat in te vul. Kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe FLW sekondêre data is oor 'n proeftydperk van 3 maande ingesamel. Hierdie data-insamelingsproses is gebruik om areas vir verbetering te identifiseer en om maatreëls te ondersoek wat geneem kan word om FLW in hierdie stadium van die voedselvoorsieningsketting te verminder. Daar is gevind dat die FLW-standaard 'n betroubare en konsekwente metodologie bied vir die meting, verslagdoening en bestuur van FLW. Beperkings en uitdagings is bespreek – soos om produkgewigdata vas te lê en data van gekontrakteerde afvalversamelaars te stroomlyn. Die verslagdoeningsinstrument is geprys vir die aanmoediging van deursigtigheid en die leiding van die kleinhandelaar in die implementering van beste metingpraktyke. Op grond van die sukses van die gevallestudie is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die gebruik van hierdie FLW-standaard en sy verslagdoeningstemplaat Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelaars sal ondersteun in hul pogings om vordering teen die SDG 12.3-teiken te maak. Die studie het ook daarin geslaag om by te dra tot die kennisgaping met betrekking tot FLW-kwantifisering in die Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsektor. Verskeie aanbevelings is gemaak om die verslagtemplaat te verbeter vir beter FLW-data-optimering, soos om die resultate van die verslagstemplaat te gebruik om 'n besigheidsgeval vir FLW-verminderingsinisiatiewe te bou. Dit is ook voorgestel om FLW- tonnemaat te koppel aan 'n koolstofvoetspoor of ander ingebedde hulpbronstatistieke. Dit sal voordelig wees vir die kleinhandelsektor verpligte FLW-verslagdoening in te stek. Kleinhandelaars moet egter daarvan bewus wees dat pogings wat daarop gefokus is om die oorsake van FLW aan te pak parallel met kwantifisering verbeterings uitgevoer moet word.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentx, 42 pages : illustrations (some color)en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127350
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFood waste -- Economic aspects en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFood -- Lossesen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFood waste -- Environmental aspectsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFood loss and waste (FLW) -- Management -- Economic aspectsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFood waste -- Measurementen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshRetail trade -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFood industry and trade -- Quality controlen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleOptimising food loss and waste measurement practices in the South African grocery retail sectoren_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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