Causes, Awareness and Behaviour of Food Waste Generation in Latvian Households: a Quantitative Study

Description

The European Union (EU), following the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, has set an ambitious target of food waste prevention and reduction by 2030. Approaching the target year, the implementation of waste prevention and reduction measures is still at different stages of maturity across countries (UNEP, 2024). While Latvia has developed a food waste prevention and reduction plan aligned with the EU regulatory framework (EC, 2018; EC, 2019), practical implementation is still underdeveloped as food waste is scarcely researched in Latvia. A questionnaire with close-ended questions was developed to examine the state of causes, awareness and behaviour towards food waste prevention, reduction and measurement in Latvia's permanent residents. Stratified random sampling based on administratively territorial strata was applied to obtain a representative study sample of 1007 respondents. The questionnaire was conducted in January 2023. Descriptive statistics were conducted to explore response patterns, while tests of independence aim to examine associations between respondent profiles and response variables. Considering roles in household food-related activities (planning, purchasing, preparing, enjoying, relying on prepared meals or eating out), respondents were categorised into three groups: full meal managers, partial meal managers and consumers. Socio-demographic variables, including household size, type of settlement and income, were also considered. The analysis aims to identify differences among these groups regarding perceived reasons why food gets discarded, practices undertaken and measures considered helpful in food waste prevention efforts. Almost one-fifth of all respondents indicated not generating any food waste and one-third indicated not discarding any food, namely the avoidable food waste fraction. Economic reason was the predominant factor in discarding food, with environmental, ethical and other reasons being less significant. Irrespective of the respondent’s role in the household, the majority (N=942, 93.5%) indicated that they do not lack information on food waste prevention practices. In addition, results indicate low willingness to engage in mandatory food waste data collection and reporting in the EU. Almost half of the respondents indicated not collecting food waste separately and disposing of it in mixed municipal waste. 4.9% of respondents provided inconsistent responses regarding their perceived food waste generation and disposal practices. Although they reported generating food waste, they also indicated not generating any waste when asked about disposal activities. We conclude that the food waste problem and related measures are not widely recognised as significant at the individual level in Latvian households. Considering household diversity, further studies should support tailored food waste prevention and reduction efforts. Continued attention is needed on the definitional framework and its interpretation among stakeholders, as understanding affects how food waste is perceived. In-depth methods such as interviews and feedback could help address inconsistencies and misinterpretations.

Period	24 Sept 2025 → 27 Sept 2025
Event title	5th International Conference: Rethink Food Resources, Losses, and Waste
Event type	Conference
Conference number	5
Location	Athens, GreeceShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International