Recirculation of surplus food – To what benefit?

Food waste in Sweden occurs mainly in later stages of the food chain (retail and households) and affects the environment, society, and economy in various ways. There is a need for measures that prevent generation of food waste, while at the same time contributing to long-term sustainability. 

Although there are many studies on food waste prevention, there is a knowledge gap concerning surplus food redistribution from retail and distributors. New redistribution solutions are under development in Sweden, for example reprocessing of surplus food into new products or selling surplus food from restaurants at a reduced price through apps. However, knowledge of their environmental, social and economic benefits is lacking.

This project aims to assess surplus food redistribution solutions. It will demonstrate how these solutions can create environmental, social and economic benefits, while at the same time being financially self-supporting.