Food Wastage in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario

Overview

In industrialized countries like Canada, an estimated 40% of food available for human consumption is discarded – half from households. Yet only a handful of studies have begun to study food wastage in Canada. A better understanding of the mechanisms that drive up the food wastage levels in Canada is the first step needed to create targeted food wastage (FW) reduction strategies. This study asks: What factors drive Canadian households to waste food? A combination of online surveys, case study household FW collections, and case study interviews are used to gain a better understanding of the behaviours and socio-economic factors that shape household food wastage in Canada. This study confirms findings from other FW research, but also emphasizes the role of food environments (e.g. food access) and environmental triggers (e.g. time constraints) in HFW.

These findings highlight the complexity of the issue of FW, and the need for strategies that go beyond targeting household behaviours.