Who Wastes and Why<\/span> <\/span><\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Food waste is distributed along the entire food chain, albeit A Good Opportunity <\/strong>focus primarily on waste attributable to the final consumer<\/strong>, which is also relatively easier to counteract.<\/p>\nBut, first thing first, let\u2019s examine all those factors concurring to generate the amount of food waste in Italy and worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
According to a study conducted by the Polytechnic of Milan, 58.1% of Italian food waste is caused by the same dealers operating on the supply chain against 41.9% attributable to consumers. Excluding home consumption, the excess should be charged on the production for 66.5%, 22.3% for distribution, 6% for catering, for transformation 5.2% <\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/unabuonaoccasione.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/infografica_chi_spreca_e_perch.png\" "\\"Who-wastes-and-why-infographic\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Overproduction<\/h2><\/div>Responsibilities: Market law<\/strong><\/p>\nAs we know, there is a structural problem of overproduction<\/strong> that, in many cases, leads to the disposal of perfectly edible food before they even reach the network of distributors.We all have in our mind\u2019s eye recurrent images of huge quantities of oranges, tomatoes or other foodstuffs, destroyed or left to rot in the fields; images sparking off our indignation each time we think about all those destitute people who don\u2019t get enough to eat.
The main causes of this regrettable phenomenon are due to the competition of products from foreign markets sold at prices lower than those considered profitable, or rather by the need to keep prices high enough by not putting the entire stock on the market. <\/p>\nDownload PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>- <\/i><\/span>The waste in fields<\/a><\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>The reasons of waste in fields<\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Fishing by-catch<\/h2><\/div>Responsibilities: Market law<\/strong><\/p>\nDid you know that 40% of the total catch is discarded at sea?<\/strong> It\u2019s called fishing by-catch<\/em> the part of the catch consisting of fish which are not target of fisheries and other marine creatures incidentally caught. By catch usually is discarded at sea<\/strong>: in most cases the dumped back fish and other forms of life are dead or at their end-of-life, with very poor chance of surviving. Discards involve anything that is considered \u201cwaste\u201d, in particular: <\/p>\n\n- specimens of the species sought not conform to dimensions (in majority these are juvenile fish, which are not yet arrived at the age of full development) or injured by fishing equipment;<\/li>\n
- fish of other species that have no market or are not edible;<\/li>\n
- other forms of life (not fish) which remain trapped in the nets as birds, turtles and marine mammals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The fishing boats rejecting at sea this \u201cdiscard\u201d, earning space for successive captures and triggering a vicious circle of intensive exploitation of fish stocks and discards.
\nThe practice of discards is widely used on ships of the great fishing industry, while the phenomenon is relatively uncommon in non-industrial fishing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
In 2003 bottom trawling by the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea was about 153,000 tons, of which 143,000 tons from Greek and Italian fleets. <\/p>\n
Source WWF: \u201cDefining and estimating global marine fisheries bycatch\u201d \u2013 (year 2009)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>THE SCALE OF THE PHENOMENON<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nAn in-depth study conducted by WWF (Defining and estimating global marine fisheries bycatch)<\/em> estimated that 40% of the annual global catch is discarded at sea: 38 million tons<\/strong> wasted every year!
\nHowever, 40% is an average figure. There are significant differences between geographical areas, individual states, types of target species, and fishing methods\/equipment: in some cases, the phenomenon affects as much as 90% of the catch! The study also highlights that the majority of discards consist of juveniles, i.e., young fish in the early stages of post-larval development.
\nThese numbers make fishing by-catch and the practice of discarding an emergency<\/strong>, both in terms of safeguarding fish stocks that populate the sea and in terms of food waste<\/strong> for human consumption and for marine predators.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>THE CAUSES OF FISHING BY-CATCH<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nThere are two main causes:<\/p>\n
\n- the use of non-selective fishing methods and equipment<\/li>\n
- the lack of market for a large portion of the catch<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use of non-selective fishing methods and equipment<\/strong>
\nThe most common methods and fishing gear are not selective and therefore doesn\u2019t guarantee to capture only species of interest and specimens of the fishing target adjusted for size. These methods and equipment are very effective in terms of satisfaction the food demand (over the last thirty years fish consumption has doubled) but not at all efficient in terms of respect of the environment, marine and food waste fauna. As an example bottom trawling, an industrial method which uses huge and heavy towed nets on the seabed: nets as they pass rake whatever they find, without any possibility to escape for the piled up sea creatures that are trapped. <\/p>\nThe lack of market for a large portion of the catch<\/strong>
\nThere are 25,000 species of fish, among which those that are not edible are in a minority. Fish species of commercial interest listed by the Ministry of Food and Forestry Policies are almost 800 but, because of cultural and food fads, in the fish shops and at the tables of the clients do not arrive not even thirty varieties of species. The other species are little known by consumers, who do not seek them sales counter and consequently the operators of commercial distribution does not supply them. Fishermen, therefore, rather than being to record unwelcome unsold stocks, prefer not to offer them.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"14462965](\"https:\/\/unabuonaoccasione.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/14462965_10153939159529499_2476428613047511944_n.jpg\" "\\"14462965")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Aesthetic imperfections<\/h2><\/div>Responsibility: GDO (mass retailers) and consumers<\/strong><\/p>\nMost of us are strongly influenced by the aesthetics of food<\/strong> and tends to discard the fruit or vegetable having some minorimperfections. Clear proof is provided by the flawless apples sold in supermarkets, whose smooth skin and bright colours are actually due to treatment with pesticides and waxing. While the so-called \u2018peasants apples\u2019, which are less than perfect picks are usually better. Even so, the treated ones are usually preferred. The large supermarkets operators are perfectly aware of it and consequently impose high aesthetic standards to the producers, therefore the flawed ranges are excluded from the main distribution circuit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>In Italy approximately 1.5 million tons of agricultural products, 2,73% of the entire production, are discarded at the source
\n
\nSource: Last Minute Market and UniBo 2011<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/unabuonaoccasione.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/DSC_894_Ermanno-Falco-3.jpg\" "\\"DSC_894_Ermanno-Falco-3\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Critical issues in the dealings between production and distribution<\/h2><\/div>Responsibilities: Food industry and mass distribution<\/strong><\/p>\nThe food processing<\/strong> industry is often forced to recall unsold products<\/strong> from supermarkets, especially those sold on promotional offers, or local foods related to festivities (such as chocolate Easter eggs or special Christmas cakes) or foods with a very short shelf life (think fresh milk).<\/p>\nGoods return might already occur at the time of delivery <\/strong>(the so-called return delivery); especially when \u2013 as a standard procedure \u2013 a load is rejected because its expiration date is closer than that of the one already received.<\/p>\nIn most cases, the products are thrown away<\/strong> because it is too complex and too expensive to redirect them to alternative distribution channels.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Mistakes in the production planning or forecasting the market demand<\/h2><\/div>Responsibility: Food industry<\/strong><\/p>\nIf a batch of products exceed the immediate absorption capacity of the regular customers<\/strong>, the processing companies may not be able to find new customers<\/strong> because of the shortened residual \u2018 shelf life of their products\u2019 (the shelf Life is the length of time for which a product can be stored without becoming unfit for use or consumption). In fact, the (GDO) Large Retail Organization requires at least two-thirds of the total shelf life, exceeded limit it is unlikely to find any buyers. <\/p>\nDownload PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>- <\/i><\/span>Agroindustrial waste<\/a><\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>The reasons of industrial waste<\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Forsaking the \u2018 doggy bag \u2018and other catering waste<\/h2><\/div>Responsibility: Restaurant Managers and Consumers<\/strong><\/p>\nUnlike the Anglo-Saxon countries, in Italy is an uncommon practice to take home the leftovers from meal eaten at the restaurant. Beyond the obvious hypocrisy of the name, \u2018 doggy bag\u2019 attributed to the bag or paper box usually used for this purpose (as if all leftovers were really intended for the dog \u2026), this is a commendable habit that should be by any means promoted. Anyway, in catering, the leading cause of surpluses is another one, more difficult to counteract, that is the wrong menu planning to estimate the expected cost\/budget for food. It is not easy in fact, to predict the number of customers and their meal schedule, neither it is to predict with sufficient accuracy which foods will be required. If you make a mistake, it is not always possible to recycle the dishes for the next service. <\/p>\n
Download PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>- <\/i><\/span>Waste in catering<\/a><\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>The reasons of waste in catering<\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Full shelves<\/h2><\/div>Responsibility: GDO and consumers<\/strong><\/p>\nIt seems that the view of the shelves overflowing with goods has a psychological effect on customers, <\/strong>reassuring them and contributing thereby to the success of the store. The GDO (Mass Distribution, well aware of it, strives to keep shelves always full until the end of the day. This strategy, of course, creates a problem of surplus disposal. <\/p>\nDownload PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>- <\/i><\/span>
Food waste is distributed along the entire food chain, albeit A Good Opportunity <\/strong>focus primarily on waste attributable to the final consumer<\/strong>, which is also relatively easier to counteract.<\/p>\n But, first thing first, let\u2019s examine all those factors concurring to generate the amount of food waste in Italy and worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> According to a study conducted by the Polytechnic of Milan, 58.1% of Italian food waste is caused by the same dealers operating on the supply chain against 41.9% attributable to consumers. Excluding home consumption, the excess should be charged on the production for 66.5%, 22.3% for distribution, 6% for catering, for transformation 5.2% <\/p>\n .<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Responsibilities: Market law<\/strong><\/p>\n As we know, there is a structural problem of overproduction<\/strong> that, in many cases, leads to the disposal of perfectly edible food before they even reach the network of distributors.We all have in our mind\u2019s eye recurrent images of huge quantities of oranges, tomatoes or other foodstuffs, destroyed or left to rot in the fields; images sparking off our indignation each time we think about all those destitute people who don\u2019t get enough to eat. Download PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> Responsibilities: Market law<\/strong><\/p>\n Did you know that 40% of the total catch is discarded at sea?<\/strong> It\u2019s called fishing by-catch<\/em> the part of the catch consisting of fish which are not target of fisheries and other marine creatures incidentally caught. By catch usually is discarded at sea<\/strong>: in most cases the dumped back fish and other forms of life are dead or at their end-of-life, with very poor chance of surviving. Discards involve anything that is considered \u201cwaste\u201d, in particular: <\/p>\n The fishing boats rejecting at sea this \u201cdiscard\u201d, earning space for successive captures and triggering a vicious circle of intensive exploitation of fish stocks and discards. In 2003 bottom trawling by the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea was about 153,000 tons, of which 143,000 tons from Greek and Italian fleets. <\/p>\n Source WWF: \u201cDefining and estimating global marine fisheries bycatch\u201d \u2013 (year 2009)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> An in-depth study conducted by WWF (Defining and estimating global marine fisheries bycatch)<\/em> estimated that 40% of the annual global catch is discarded at sea: 38 million tons<\/strong> wasted every year! There are two main causes:<\/p>\n Use of non-selective fishing methods and equipment<\/strong> The lack of market for a large portion of the catch<\/strong> Responsibility: GDO (mass retailers) and consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n Most of us are strongly influenced by the aesthetics of food<\/strong> and tends to discard the fruit or vegetable having some minorimperfections. Clear proof is provided by the flawless apples sold in supermarkets, whose smooth skin and bright colours are actually due to treatment with pesticides and waxing. While the so-called \u2018peasants apples\u2019, which are less than perfect picks are usually better. Even so, the treated ones are usually preferred. The large supermarkets operators are perfectly aware of it and consequently impose high aesthetic standards to the producers, therefore the flawed ranges are excluded from the main distribution circuit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> In Italy approximately 1.5 million tons of agricultural products, 2,73% of the entire production, are discarded at the source Responsibilities: Food industry and mass distribution<\/strong><\/p>\n The food processing<\/strong> industry is often forced to recall unsold products<\/strong> from supermarkets, especially those sold on promotional offers, or local foods related to festivities (such as chocolate Easter eggs or special Christmas cakes) or foods with a very short shelf life (think fresh milk).<\/p>\n Goods return might already occur at the time of delivery <\/strong>(the so-called return delivery); especially when \u2013 as a standard procedure \u2013 a load is rejected because its expiration date is closer than that of the one already received.<\/p>\n In most cases, the products are thrown away<\/strong> because it is too complex and too expensive to redirect them to alternative distribution channels.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Responsibility: Food industry<\/strong><\/p>\n If a batch of products exceed the immediate absorption capacity of the regular customers<\/strong>, the processing companies may not be able to find new customers<\/strong> because of the shortened residual \u2018 shelf life of their products\u2019 (the shelf Life is the length of time for which a product can be stored without becoming unfit for use or consumption). In fact, the (GDO) Large Retail Organization requires at least two-thirds of the total shelf life, exceeded limit it is unlikely to find any buyers. <\/p>\n Download PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> Responsibility: Restaurant Managers and Consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n Unlike the Anglo-Saxon countries, in Italy is an uncommon practice to take home the leftovers from meal eaten at the restaurant. Beyond the obvious hypocrisy of the name, \u2018 doggy bag\u2019 attributed to the bag or paper box usually used for this purpose (as if all leftovers were really intended for the dog \u2026), this is a commendable habit that should be by any means promoted. Anyway, in catering, the leading cause of surpluses is another one, more difficult to counteract, that is the wrong menu planning to estimate the expected cost\/budget for food. It is not easy in fact, to predict the number of customers and their meal schedule, neither it is to predict with sufficient accuracy which foods will be required. If you make a mistake, it is not always possible to recycle the dishes for the next service. <\/p>\n Download PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> Responsibility: GDO and consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n It seems that the view of the shelves overflowing with goods has a psychological effect on customers, <\/strong>reassuring them and contributing thereby to the success of the store. The GDO (Mass Distribution, well aware of it, strives to keep shelves always full until the end of the day. This strategy, of course, creates a problem of surplus disposal. <\/p>\n Download PDF for more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Overproduction<\/h2><\/div>
The main causes of this regrettable phenomenon are due to the competition of products from foreign markets sold at prices lower than those considered profitable, or rather by the need to keep prices high enough by not putting the entire stock on the market. <\/p>\nFishing by-catch<\/h2><\/div>
\n
\nThe practice of discards is widely used on ships of the great fishing industry, while the phenomenon is relatively uncommon in non-industrial fishing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>THE SCALE OF THE PHENOMENON<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
\nHowever, 40% is an average figure. There are significant differences between geographical areas, individual states, types of target species, and fishing methods\/equipment: in some cases, the phenomenon affects as much as 90% of the catch! The study also highlights that the majority of discards consist of juveniles, i.e., young fish in the early stages of post-larval development.
\nThese numbers make fishing by-catch and the practice of discarding an emergency<\/strong>, both in terms of safeguarding fish stocks that populate the sea and in terms of food waste<\/strong> for human consumption and for marine predators.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>THE CAUSES OF FISHING BY-CATCH<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
\n
\nThe most common methods and fishing gear are not selective and therefore doesn\u2019t guarantee to capture only species of interest and specimens of the fishing target adjusted for size. These methods and equipment are very effective in terms of satisfaction the food demand (over the last thirty years fish consumption has doubled) but not at all efficient in terms of respect of the environment, marine and food waste fauna. As an example bottom trawling, an industrial method which uses huge and heavy towed nets on the seabed: nets as they pass rake whatever they find, without any possibility to escape for the piled up sea creatures that are trapped. <\/p>\n
\nThere are 25,000 species of fish, among which those that are not edible are in a minority. Fish species of commercial interest listed by the Ministry of Food and Forestry Policies are almost 800 but, because of cultural and food fads, in the fish shops and at the tables of the clients do not arrive not even thirty varieties of species. The other species are little known by consumers, who do not seek them sales counter and consequently the operators of commercial distribution does not supply them. Fishermen, therefore, rather than being to record unwelcome unsold stocks, prefer not to offer them.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Aesthetic imperfections<\/h2><\/div>
\n
\nSource: Last Minute Market and UniBo 2011<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Critical issues in the dealings between production and distribution<\/h2><\/div>
Mistakes in the production planning or forecasting the market demand<\/h2><\/div>
Forsaking the \u2018 doggy bag \u2018and other catering waste<\/h2><\/div>
Full shelves<\/h2><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/unabuonaoccasione.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Banco_GiuseppeFiorenza.jpg\" "\\"Banco_GiuseppeFiorenza\\"")
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