Food supply chain waste reduction for a circular economy in the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study of New Zealand consumers
The International Journal of Logistics Management
ISSN: 0957-4093
Article publication date: 21 July 2022
Issue publication date: 28 April 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Food waste (FW) reduction, of which household wastage comprises a large fraction, has an important role in promoting the circular economy (CE). This study investigates how certain consumer traits impact household FW, particularly in the face of external shocks.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a qualitative and longitudinal study, spanning three periods in New Zealand. A preliminary model is constructed from the outcomes of a survey with 178 participants. Then, the authors carried out 29 semi-structured interviews to refine the preliminary model and adapt it to the analysis of household waste behavior.
Findings
Different segments of consumers have distinct response patterns in successive lockdowns, and these patterns impact household FW reduction and food supply chain (FSC) management. The key findings include (1) for government, quick responses to quash unhelpful rumors help to reduce public concerns around FSC interruption; (2) for retailers, the pandemic has hastened the growth of online shopping; being able to expand the distribution channel in a short time is a critical issue; and (3) for consumers, the experience of lockdown has different impacts on different groups of consumers. This variation of experience may either enhance or exacerbate FW in households.
Originality/value
This paper complements the existing literature on the FSC and contributes to household FW and CE literature by providing a framework that integrates external impacts, consumer segmentation to reflect on waste management, and the possible applications of the proposed framework.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 19BG090).
Citation
Luo, N., Olsen, T., Ganguly, S. and Liu, Y. (2023), "Food supply chain waste reduction for a circular economy in the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study of New Zealand consumers", The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 800-817. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-03-2022-0100
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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