Standardized Supply vs. Differentiated Demand: An Approach to Analyze Food Waste in China

Open hybrid seminar with Funing Zhong, Nanjing Agricultural University, China.

Abstract:

Following economic transformation and demographic change, food consumption has shifted from at home to away from home at an accelerated speed in China. Unlike at home where food could be prepared according specific needs and adjusted with leftovers, away-from home food consumption is more restricted by standardized supply with the size fitting big-eaters and leftovers usually unsuitable for home eating later. Some studies have measured food waste in restaurants and other food outlets; however, no such research has been conducted for order-delivered meals. In China, order-delivered meals have become more and more popular, especially among young population. The number of daily deliveries has approaching 50 million in China, and still growing quickly. As the extent of standardization is higher in order-delivered meals, so is likely the wastes in its consumption compared with other forms of food consumption. This research attempts to measure the extent of staple food wastes in consumption of order-delivered meals for two reason: food grain is the center of food security policy in China, and staple food is relatively easier to measure compared with other components in the meal. After analyzing major factors attributable to the wastes, this research will try to find out if supply differentiated sizes and types could match the actual requirements, and to what extent consumers may accept size-differentiated supply, especially to what extent and under what conditions suppliers are willing to prepare and supply size-differentiated meals for order-delivered meals with more choices in types. The finding may help to reduce food wastes from mismatch between supply and demand, and may have potential to reduce overweight and obesity due to over consumption of food.

How to participate

The seminar is open to all.
The seminar will take place in person (meeting room Von Langen) and online via Zoom: