A Multifaceted Evaluation of Food Waste in a Polish Supermarket—Case Study

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the food waste generated in one Polish supermarket in terms of its mass, financial value, and wasted caloric value, and to specify ways in which to manage food that can help contribute to reducing the phenomenon of food waste in commercial facilities. The research material was a list of unsold food items in one supermarket over two weeks. The evaluation shows that in one supermarket, approximately 3.3 tonnes of food was wasted over two weeks, with a total value of €5500. The groups of products with the highest percentage share in the structure of waste were fruits and vegetables, as well as meat, cold meats, and fish. The estimated caloric value of dairy products wasted over two weeks amounts to approximately 243.8 kcal. The estimated mass of dairy products appropriated for social purposes would feed from 72 to 174 persons a day (depending on the daily reference value). As various types of food products for social purposes may be sourced from the retail sector, it constitutes an important link in the chain “from the field to the table”, from which food should be redistributed to people in need.