Daniela ANTONESCU*, Ioan SURDU*
National Institute of Economic Research “Costin C. Kirițescu”, Centre of Mountain Economy CE-MONT, Petreni no. 49, 725700, Vatra Dornei, Romania
Corresponding author: daniela.antonescu25@gmail.com, surdu.ioan@gmail.com
DOI: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.13353860
Abstract
Food waste is a widespread issue affecting the environment and resources (natural, financial, sanitary, etc.). Its negative impacts are felt both individually (household budget) and societally, and they are generally difficult to combat. Quantitative and qualitative analyses show that household food waste accounts for over 50% of the total volume, despite waste occurring throughout the supply chain. Certain economic sectors, such as HoReCa or large retail stores, are more prone to food waste due to the nature of their activities. The case study on agro-tourist guesthouses in Romania’s mountainous areas revealed that food waste at these locations is relatively low. This is attributed to the household mentality, ethical and spiritual values passed down through generations, and a strong respect for Romania’s mountains. Solutions to reduce this phenomenon include raising awareness, rethinking portion sizes, promoting best practices, and using innovative packaging. This article aims to deepen the understanding of food waste and identify viable solutions to address it. It presents various theoretical approaches to commonly used global methods and techniques for reducing food waste while assessing the extent of this issue in mountain tourist structures in Romania. The assessment of waste in mountain guesthouses, a new aspect studied under the ADER 18.1.21 project at the Center of Mountain Economy of the Romanian Academy, offers methods and results that could be applied to other territories.
Keywords:
food waste, sustainable development, smart packaging, food behavior, Mountain Area, agro-mountain tourist pensions