More drive and novel and creative solutions are needed in retailing to tackle bread waste.
Lotta Alhonnoro, M.Sc. (Econ), who will defend her dissertation at the University of Vaasa on Friday, 28 February, encourages grocery stores to reduce waste by making the most of technology, marketing methods and staff engagement.
– Sections in the store are overflowing with stacks of different types of bread, each stack bigger than the other. This drew my attention and sparked my interest as a researcher. The phenomenon appeared again in breadlines, to which some of the stores donate food waste. Vast amounts of bread were available, so much so that it became a problem – how could all this bread be used up? They had to search high and low for people to take the bread which was becoming hazardous waste, says Alhonnoro, who is defending her doctoral dissertation in marketing.
Consequently, finding ways to reduce bread waste in a grocery store became the goal of Alhonnoro's dissertation research.
Discussion on food waste often focuses on the consumer's role, putting the blame on consumers. However, food waste is generated at all stages of the food chain. According to Alhonnoro, organised stores seeking to act responsibly may be better equipped to reduce waste than consumers.
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