Results

Expected results

The project aims to generate an overview of the main causes, coping strategies, and drivers for fruits and vegetables wastage reduction of farmers, producers, food services, retailers, and consumers, integrated in a web platform that will support stakeholders (farmers, producers, food services, retailers, and consumers) to reduce food waste. 

Results 2022

• over 40 interviews with food chain members and other stakeholders were done; we asked about the food waste causes in their case, reduction strategies, and motivations to reduce food waste;
• literature review to identify the main environmental, economic, and social impacts of food waste

Summary of the 2022 Stage

Objectives of the 2022 Stage

Strategies to reduce fruit and vegetable waste must be based on accurate knowledge of the context in which the waste is generated. This involves understanding the behavior of fruit and vegetable waste generators. For this reason, the project's first year focused on members of the food chain, plus other stakeholders. Consequently, the specific objectives of the first stage were: (1) Project launch – creation of a set of project management procedure, the precise definition of deadlines, responsibilities, etc.; (2) Analysis of the economic, social, and environmental impact of food waste (from secondary sources); (3) Collection of primary data to identify the main causes of food waste of fresh fruit and vegetables at food chain stakeholders; (4) Collection of primary data to identify the main strategies to reduce fresh fruit and vegetables waste at food chain stakeholders; (5) Collection of primary data to identify the main motivations to reduce fruit and vegetables waste by food chain stakeholders. All objectives of the first stage have been met (as detailed in section "3. Results of 2022 Stage").

Results of 2022 Stage

The fulfillment of 2022 stage objectives is demonstrated by the obtained results as follows.
Concerning objective (1) (Project launch – creation a set of work procedures in the project, precise definition of deadlines, responsibilities, etc.), for the smooth running of the project, we developed a set of project management procedures. A start-up workshop to launch the project was organized at the beginning and other periodic meetings with the team members were held to respond to the needs related to organization, information, and the development of the activities.
Objective (2) The analysis of the economic, social, and environmental impact of food waste has as associated result a synopsis of the economic, social, and environmental impact of food waste. This was done based on the literature review. We concluded that the three types of impact largely overlap, their causes also belong to the three domains (economic, social, and environmental). Therefore, they must be studied from a systemic perspective.
Objectives (3)-(5) related to the collection of primary data to identify the main causes of fruit and vegetable waste along the food chain, the strategies to reduce waste, and the motivations for its reduction ultimately led to 48 interviews and three broad data sets (on causes, strategies, motivations) in the written form of the interviews. To obtain them, we went through a series of stages. We reviewed the literature on food waste and qualitative research. We developed three interview scripts. We identified the categories of stakeholders. We identified the sources where we can find these stakeholders (for example, farmers' associations, local action groups, etc.) and how we find them. We selected participants from each category. We conducted the interviews. We transcribed the interviews verbatim. Although the data analysis is scheduled for the second year of the project, we performed in advance a preliminary analysis of the obtained qualitative data . We disseminated the partial results.
The qualitative approach to investigate the wastage of fresh fruit and vegetables was selected as the most suitable research method in our case as we work with non-numerical data and try to interpret the meaning from the collected data. Qualitative research helps us better understand the problem of fruit and vegetable waste by studying stakeholders. Qualitative research is designed to illustrate the significance of perceptions and knowledge that inform action or outcomes that are typically measured by quantitative research. We opted for individual and group interviews and thematic content analysis.
The interview guide had the following sections: Introduction; Perception of the meaning of food waste; Causes of fresh fruit and vegetable waste; Motivations for reducing waste; Factors that hinder waste reduction; Strategies/measures to reduce waste; Conclusions. These three sections are found in the interview for each of the three categories of stakeholders.
Based on the literature review and a group interview with the project members, we identified the following categories of stakeholders:
(a) members of the food chain - farmers, transporters, processors, sellers (wholesale, retail, warehouses), food services, and individual consumers;
(b) other stakeholders: administrative-political decision-makers, researchers, NGOs, and waste processors
The implementation of the interviews took place online and face-to-face, depending on the availability of the interviewees. We performed a preliminary analysis of the data, from which we extracted some examples that are displayed in Table 1.

Causes of fresh fruits and vegetable waste

Production greater than demand; Crops are affected by pests; Overbuying by retailers and consumers; Meteorological phenomena (drought); Consumer criteria (color, taste, shape, etc.); Labor shortage; Inadequate transport and storage facilities.
"Yes, pests, microbes, mycoses, bacteria, and the weather, that's not good in the cabbage culture either. If we have rainy weather, and because of that we can't go into the field, we can't spray, and that's where the problem comes. Pests, microbes attack, every day passes, and problem after problem comes. That's the problem with rainy weather. If we don't have rainy weather, it's dry. And that's a problem in cabbage culture, if you don't have the possibility to irrigate. That's a big problem. Because of the drought, some kind of worm can come to the ground and eat the root of the cabbage, and if it eats the root of the cabbage, you go bankrupt. Whoever has the opportunity to irrigate, has no more problems, because if the soil is wet, this worm does not come and eat the root of the cabbage. But what can I say, after this year of experience, whoever can't irrigate doesn't really deserve to grow vegetables." (Farmer)
"With the fact that we don't have predictable orders and we have to transport more cargo than we have orders, because it's not something predictable. This week I may be ordered a certain quantity, next week a different quantity. And we transport more goods, with the idea that maybe someone comes and orders." (Transporter)

Strategies used to reduce fresh fruit and vegetables waste

Appropriate storage and packaging methods; Legislation to facilitate composting and donation processes; Eliminating intermediaries; Creating platforms for donations.
"I think a communication on the subject of smaller, stained, freckled fruit and vegetables, the ones that can't be bought anywhere. Maybe some consumer education after all. That they are good, they are also cheaper and must be consumed first, that they last less than others. I think that would help. It's a change of mentality. Simply." (Carrier)
"You always have to have a check on the vegetables and fruits you have, the old ones to process first, the fresh ones that came to you ... to process them last." (Food Services)

Motivations to reduce fresh fruit and vegetables waste

Advantage; Personal satisfaction; Cleaner environment; A better future for the family
"We have to economize, not to waste anything, to make use of everything. To reduce costs." (Seller)
“Fruit and vegetables are also a bit closer to my soul or my basic science. I know how much work goes into such a product, how much work, value, labor, days, man are involved in producing or reaching the guarantee of this product. And for now this waste, which many people see as a secondary thing, seems to me to be primary, knowing and being anchored in social life, knowing also the poorer part of the population who unfortunately cannot afford, and others throw.” (Administrative-political decision-maker)
"My values ​​motivate me not to waste. I don't like to waste." (Consumer)

Dissemination of the results of the 2022 Stage

The dissemination of the partial results took place within the Agro-Economy and Rural Anthropology Symposium, III Edition, from November 18, 2022, organized by the Gh Zane Economic and Social Research Institute, Romanian Academy, Iași Branch, in partnership with the Rural Development Research Association Platform, Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences "Gheorghe Ionescu-Sișești" Bucharest - Department of Agrarian Economy and Rural Development and University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Banat "King Mihai I of Romania" from Timișoara (https://acadiasi.org /symposium-of-agri-economy-and-rural-anthropology-saar-2/). The title of the presentation was "Consumers' understanding of the causes of fruit and vegetable waste: a qualitative approach". Also, the results were included on the project website: https://tbs.ubbcluj.ro/foodwaste/

In addition, we wrote and submitted two scientific articles related to the project theme for publication. All disseminated materials mentioned the affiliation to the project through the text: "Grant of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, CNCS - UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0538, within PNCDI III".

Summary of the 2023 Stage

Objectives of the 2023 Stage

(1) Creation of the web platform to reduce fruits and vegetables waste; (2) Investigation of the influence of the misshapen fruits and vegetables and the type of place of sale on purchase intention; (3) Development of an experiment to investigate the capacity of different messages to stimulate the purchase of misshapen fruits and vegetables; (4) Investigation of the motivations of farmers, retailers and food services to accept misshapen fruits and vegetables.

Results of 2023 Stage

In relation to the objective (1) Creation of the web platform to reduce fruits and vegetables waste, the following result was obtained: The first version of the web platform for the reduction of fruits and vegetables waste, "Team up for less waste".
The result was a very complex platform Its functions and structure were created using the results of the work in the project. Specifically, we organized two workshops/interviews with food chain members to determine the most suitable functions of the platform (while the project proposed only one workshop). Furthermore, research team members analyzed the online environment, various existing projects and applications, and suggested various functions for the platform. They found that there is no active platform similar to the one built in the project. The structure and functions of the platform were realized based on the results of the interviews with the stakeholders and the analysis of the research team members on the online environment, the review of scientific literature, and discussions with various specialists. In order to test and update the platform, we involved members of the food chain in testing it and organized online meetings to get their feedback. The research team also analyzed the platform and created a list of proposed changes. The platform has been updated according to the proposals. Due to the complexity of the platform and the desire to continuously improve the platform, the testing and updating process continues in the next stage as well.

In relation to objectives (2)-(4) (2) Investigation of the influence of the misshapen fruits and vegetables and the type of place of sale on purchase intention; (3) Development of an experiment to investigate the capacity of different messages to stimulate the purchase of misshapen fruits and vegetables; (4) Investigation of the motivations of farmers, retailers and food services to accept misshapen fruits and vegetables], the following results were obtained: A synthesis of consumer behavior associated with misshapen fruits and vegetables (based on the survey and the experiment in the farmers’ market); A synthesis of motivations and barriers related to the acceptability of misshapen fruits and vegetables by farmers, food services, and retailers. These are detailed below.

The survey.

It is not yet clear whether the type of point of sale (PS) could compensate for the perceived level of deformation of fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, to date, it is not known whether PS type affects the willingness to purchase deformed fruits and vegetables. In this context, the study that used the survey aimed to reveal whether the type of PS where a fruit or vegetable is offered influences the perception of its abnormality level and the probability of purchasing that food. Therefore, the present study explores the possibility of using PS type as a lever to increase misshapen fruits and vegetables acquisitions. The survey asked online a panel of consumers and obtained 1021 valid responses (422 consumers from Romania and 599 from the Great Britain). The data was collected by a specialist firm holding consumer panels. The research team created the questionnaire, supervised the programming of the online questionnaire for data collection, checked and cleaned the collected data, analyzed the data. We used consumers from two countries to test for differences between them. We chose tomatoes as our study object because they, together with apples, are the main fruits and vegetables produced in the EU, are frequently consumed and often wasted in retail stores. We investigated five types of PS: farmers' market (small local producers), greengrocer, organic store, supermarket - conventional stand and supermarket - organic stand. We used three shapes of tomatoes: normal, slightly deformed, and moderately deformed. Stages of the process: analysis of specialized literature; establishing the objective of the survey; creating and pre-testing the questionnaire; data collection; data analysis.
The results showed that PS influences the perceived abnormality level of tomatoes. In Romania, the most “friendly” locations are the farmers’ markets (and in Great Britain, the organic stand of the supermarket). These results suggest that retailers should carefully consider the effect of PS where the product is sold on consumer perception and behavior.

The farmers’ market experiment.

The experiment took place in the flying farmers’ markets of Cluj-Napoca on Thursdays (hourly interval 12-14) and Saturdays (hourly interval 9-12), durin the period 22.06-1.07 2023 (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Images with products sold during the experiment at farmers’ market

The experiment aimed to study the behavior of consumers of fresh (unprocessed) vegetables and consisted of exposing customers to messages designed to encourage them to purchase misshapen vegetables. The stages of the process were: analysis of the scientific literature literature; definition of the research objective; identification of the location for conducting the experiment (local producers' market); concluding a collaboration protocol with the authority that manages the farmers’ markets; identification of producers willing to participate in the experiment; development of the protocol for the experiment; establishing the messages that will be tested; conducting the experiment; data collection; data analysis. In order to select the right messages, an analysis of the specialized literature was first carried out, then some messages were pre-tested so that they would be different in the eyes of consumers. Finally, the research team selected two messages for the experiment:
"Accept the diversity of nature!" (this one refers to the authenticity of the products) and
"Help me not to end up in the trash! ” (this one refers to waste reduction).
The experiment showed that higher sales were recorded for the message about authenticity: "Accept the diversity of nature!"
At the end of the experiments, the small local producers who participated received a certificate of participation to show their appreciation for their involvement in the efforts to reduce food waste (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Model of the diploma received by the farmers who participated in the farmers’ market experiment

Interviews on the acceptability of misshapen fruit and vegetables by farmers, food services, and retailers.

Stages: elaboration of the script for the interview; contacting potential participants; setting dates for interviews; conducting interviews; analysis of the obtained data. We created an interview script and organized two group interviews, with 10 people participating. The interviews lasted around an hour. We also investigated the causes that lead to the waste of misshapen fruits and vegetables, its effects and the proposed strategies (thus exceeding the objectives initially proposed in the project). We obtained the following information:
Causes of misshapen fruits and vegetables waste: Consumer preference for perfectly shaped fruits and vegetables; Sellers’ preference for perfectly shaped fruits and vegetables; Farmers’ discard imperfect fruits and vegetables.
Effects: Increase in food waste; Perpetuating a consumer misperception about the characteristics of imperfect fruits and vegetables; Economic losses; Negative impacts on the natural environment.
Motivations for increasing acceptability of misshapen fruits and vegetables, waste reduction strategies: More frequent commercialization of misshapen fruits and vegetables to accustom consumers to their presence and change the perception of the "abnormality" of the shape; Educating consumers to increase the acceptability of misshapen fruits and vegetables; Increase media coverage of misshapen fruits and vegetables; Use of imperfect fruits and vegetables in advertisements; Processing of imperfect fruits and vegetables; Support for local farmers from retailers.

Dissemination of the results of the 2023 Stage

The results of the project were disseminated in several ways, namely through:

All of the above mentioned project affiliation as per contract requirements: “Project supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, CNCS – UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0538, within PNCDI III”.