Household food waste quantification: comparison of two methods

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to quantify household food waste by using two different methods. A comparison of the results highlights a divergence between the perceived contribution to the problem and
more objective measurements.
Design/methodology/approach: Self-reported quantities, collected by means of a postal survey sent out to a random sample of the French- and German-speaking Swiss population, were compared to extrapolations from a national waste compositional analysis report.
Findings: The results of the self-reported survey showed 8.9 kg of avoidable and possibly avoidable household food waste per capita per year, whereas calculations based on the second method resulted in a total of 89.4 kg of mostly avoidable household food waste per capita per year.
Research limitations/implications: This striking tenfold discrepancy between the two sets of results highlights the extent of under-reporting in self-assessment and speaks in favour of using more objective methods to quantify food waste, building on the example of the second method used in this study.
Practical implications: The discrepancy highlighted here could be used as a hook in an awarenessraising campaign to highlight everyone’s contribution to the food waste issue and encourage citizens to reconsider their behaviour and adopt recommended behavioural changes.
Originality/value: By highlighting the divergence between self-reported and actual waste management facts and figures, this paper justifies the need to develop measures to encourage citizens to reconsider their attitudes and practices.