Food waste reduction in the retail sector : a feasibility study in social entrepreneurship

Abstract

This study explores the feasibility of utilising food waste from retailers and selling it with the aim of creating a sustainable business. Its focus is Norway and the Norwegians´ attitudes towards “precycling” food and buying meals prepared from food normally destined for the rubbish bin. It addresses the need for new thinking and developing ideas that can solve issues currently facing society and the planet, and is a mix of a theoretical and practical dissertation style. As stated by Porter and Kramer (2011), capitalism is an unequalled way of meeting human needs, improving efficiency, creating jobs whilst building wealth, but a narrow idea of capitalism has prevented business from exploiting its full potential to meet society’s broader challenges. By reviewing literature concerning social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility, the study focuses on current trends and reports from continental Europe and Norway before presenting a possible solution to food waste and the results from a survey intended to map the attitude and inclination to accept solution. The result indicates that consumers are indeed open to the idea of buying food prepared from “less than perfect” food items, and it appears that a sustainable business can be created based on this idea. The proposed solution should be considered by the potential adopter as a valuable source of marketing and good will, but additionally the suggested business should be able to sustain itself creating only benefits to the adopter.