Food waste management in SMEs: the Ukrainian context

Purpose – This study examines food waste (FW) management by food retail and food service SMEs in developing countries such as Ukraine.

Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected through a questionnaire survey of owners, managers, and employees of food retail and food service small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine and
analysed using SPSS.

Findings – SMEs focus primarily on the reduction of FW rather than its prevention, although the volume of FW is relatively low. There is evidence of a size effect, where larger SMEs are more likely to undertake FW prevention measures. While SME managers recognise negative environmental impacts of FW, perceived social pressure and respondents’ own attitudes also affect the likelihood of FW prevention by retail SMEs. Improvements are needed to align with the EU’s Food Waste Management framework.

Practical implications – Current FW practices by SMEs appear to be driven by common sense rather than a comprehensive FW management system. To further sustainable development, the Ukrainian government needs to incorporate FW and sustainable food consumption considerations into relevant strategies and legislation.

Social implications – About 30% of the food produced globally is lost or wasted. Social pressure on food retailers and food services could significantly increase their implementation of FW prevention measures. Wasted food could be reused for human consumption, which is particularly important when resources are constrained.

Originality/value – This work contributes to the sparse literature on FW management in food retail and food services by providing empirical evidence of SME practices in a developing country context.