Food waste is an epidemic, causing more problems than plastic pollution. Here is how supermarkets can limit their contribution to the problem!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food waste<\/strong> is exactly what you think it is, it is the food that does not get used for whatever reason and is subsequently thrown away. Unfortunately, food waste happens far too often and for a plethora of different reasons, despite the fact that much of this waste could be avoided<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grocery stores and supermarkets are some of the main contributors of food waste, largely due to the strict performance rules that grocers have to abide by. Due to this, food can be thrown out for an array of reasons, from simply being deemed imperfect produce or ugly produce, to having a short shelf life, subsequently forcing things to be thrown out if they are even the slightest bit past their expiration date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n America has a food waste problem that is unlike anything seen in other developed countries. In the United States, between 30 to 40 percent of the food produced is thrown away (source<\/a>). But what is the impact of all this food waste, and why is it a problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the main issues caused by food waste<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The excess of food that is wasted across the world has to end up somewhere, but where exactly does all that wasted food go? The majority of food waste ends up in huge landfills. These landfills are disastrous for the environment<\/strong> as everything within it is forced to decompose without access to oxygen. In turn, this process produces methane which can prove to be dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Negative environmental impacts can manifest in both pre and post waste environments. In order for these fruits and vegetables and other produce to be grown and produced, big corporations who are higher up the supply chain destroy land, partake in deforestation and ruin habitats in order for your food to be grown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although the destruction of land is already morally questionable, for it not to have benefited anyone is a devastating thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wasting food also has significant economic impacts that negatively affect our economies worldwide. In Canada, total food loss is valued at $31 billion CAD (source<\/a>), highlighting a huge sum of money that is not being put towards anything and is simply going to waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you break it down, countries are losing money in far more areas than just the food itself. When food is wasted, natural resources, labor and material costs are also wasted. Moreover, wasting food means that there is less viable food in circulation, meaning the cost of food goes up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, food waste has a wide range of economic impacts<\/strong> that permeate throughout the entire process of food production. From wasted labor costs to increased food prices, food waste benefits no one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest issues with food waste is the moral implications of wasting this much food. Every day there are people across the world who do not have enough income to support themselves, meaning that they are unable to afford food to feed themselves and their families. The fact that there are people struggling to eat whilst hundreds of thousands of people and retailers are throwing away food on a daily basis is an injustice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although food waste occurs across a variety of different situations and food can be wasted throughout the entirety of its supply chain and the food production process, supermarkets are still one of the main contributors to food waste. So, what exactly happens to all this wasted food, and what do supermarkets do with the food that they are unable to sell?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Canada is not immune to the food waste problem that is seen across the globe. Unfortunately, households, retailers, food services and more all contribute to food waste across the country. Here some of the most shocking statistics about food waste in Canada:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit the environmental protection agency<\/a> for more information about food waste and the best ways to limit your contribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reducing food waste<\/strong> can be done most effectively by identifying the problem as early as possible. Participating in regular gemba walks<\/a> will provide you with ample opportunity to make these identifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gemba walks<\/a> are a practice developed by Taiichi Ohno. It\u2019s a process that aims to continuously observe the work being done. Individuals who are higher up the corporate food chain, in the case of supermarkets this would be managers, take time to observe the shop floor in order to highlight any wasteful activity and find areas to improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These walks allow you to collect as much data as possible<\/strong> about store waste and continuously monitor the situation. It also allows those in charge to draw up a plan for waste reduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a wide range of benefits to implementing gemba walks into your business, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t know where to get started with gemba walks, there are plenty of softwares that can help you schedule everything and make the process as smooth as possible. Take a look at the Gemba Walk app here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEnvironmental impact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Economic impact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Food insecurity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat do supermarkets do with food waste?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow much food is wasted in Canada?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat are 3 ways grocers can reduce food waste?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Regular Gemba Walks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n