A staggering amount of food is wasted every year, both in business and households. Why is this happening? What can be done to tackle this problem?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.
Reasons
- This propensity is supported by food delivery apps
- Excessive shopping for food by the elite, especially in rich countries: which is wasted later
- When they organize parties, the arrange more than required
- Restaurants and hotels preparing surplus - to be dumped later
- Companies selling fruits and vegetables nowadays procure only those pieces that are perfect in shape and color and rest are discarded
- Proper storage is not being provided - a lot is lost to rot.
- There is a disconnect between the rich and poor, where in elite countries, farmers dump food because of low asking prices, which could have been supplied to others.
- food such vegetables and fruit often discarded by companies selling these because of these being out of shape or having some blemishes
Solutions
- Penalizing those who waste food and even those who reject fruits and vegetables due to shapes and sizes
- Creating food banks
- People should also be made aware of the impact of this wasteful practice so that they stop buying and cooking excessively and dumping it later.
Food waste has become a serious global issue, with vast quantities discarded by both business and households each year. This problem arises from a combination of consumer behaviour, inefficient systems and lack of awareness. This essay will solve this serious issue and tell how to tackle this global concern .
One major reason for food waste is over-purchasing. In households, people often buy more than they need due to poor planning and attractive discounts, leading to unused food spoiling at home. In many homes, there is a lack of suitable storage to hold large amounts of food, due to which food not in use is discarded. For example, in middle class families people buy large portions of food like milk, butter, and so forth, from markets, and they do not have a proper suitable storage; as a result, the goods are spoiled and thrown away.
On top of that, businesses such as restaurants, cafes and supermarkets try to meet customer expectations of different varieties. Companies selling fruits and vegetables like apples , bananas,cucumbers and carrots, among others, nowadays, procure only those pieces that are perfect in shape and colour and rest - even slightly out of shape, but fit for consumption - are discarded.
To tackle this issue, several measures can be adopted. Penalizing those wasting food and even rejecting fruits and vegetables owing to their shape and size. Likewise, people should also be enlightened about the impact of this wasteful practice, so that they stop buying and cooking excessively and dumping it later. Educating people about meal planning and proper food storage can significantly reduce household waste.
In conclusion, food waste occurs due to both behavioral and commercial issues, but by spreading awareness, imposing penalties and better planning, this unsustainable practice can be significantly reduced.