Sources of food waste
Who are the main contributors to food waste and what are the costs? Read that here.
A basic distinction can be made between avoidable and unavoidable waste.
- Avoidable: still consumable at the time of disposal.
- Unavoidable: e.g. bones or shells
Food waste occurs in four areas: storage losses, production waste, overproduction and plate returns. Most food waste in hotels is caused by overproduction (30 – 60%) and plate returns as well as an oversupply at the breakfast buffet (Figure 1). In many hotels, the breakfast buffet is too rich and is therefore responsible for a large part of the waste. 40% of food that is wasted is carbohydrates, including potato, bread, pasta and rice. Reduced wastage in carbohydrates would have a significant impact on the total amount of food being wasted.
Figure 1: Areas where food waste is generated
Source: Own illustration, based on data from United Against Waste (2020). Food Waste 4.0. Zwischenbilanz, 2020, p. 39
The cost of food waste, resulting from unused food and its subsequent disposal as waste, is primarily a purchasing and kitchen staff cost, accounting for almost 90% of the total cost (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Estimated total cost of food waste by cost element
Source: Overview of waste in the UK hospitality and food service sector, WRAP