Bakgrund: Matsvinn har på senare tid fått stor medial uppmärksamhet samtidigt som konsumenters miljömedvetenhet har ökat. Matsvinn uppstår i hela produktflödet och anses vara ett stort miljöproblem samtidigt som det utgör en kostnad för företag. Det finns ett flertal identifierade reaktiva åtgärder för hur distributions- och butiksledet ska kunna minska detta. Däremot saknas kunskap beträffande orsaker för uppkomsten av matsvinn samt proaktiva åtgärder för att minska detta. Tidigare forskning pekar på att effektivisering av produkters flöde skulle kunna minska matsvinn. Stora livsmedelskedjor utomlands har implementerat styrningsverktyget lean för att effektivisera dess verksamhet samt minska dess matsvinn. På grund av bristen när det gäller forskning om proaktiva åtgärder samt implementering av lean-verktyg för att minska matsvinn krävs ytterligare studier för att undersöka verktygets möjlighet inom svensk dagligvaruhandel. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att redovisa faktorer som kan förklara uppkomsten av matsvinn av färskvaror inom dagligvaruhandeln. Vidare syftar studien till att redovisa en flödeskartläggning och en beskrivning av beställningsprocessen för att undersöka vilka verktyg inom styrningsverktyget lean som kan implementeras för att leda till en minskning av matsvinn. Genomförande: Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär och har en multipel fallstudiedesign. Dess empiri är insamlad från fyra organisationer inom dagligvaruhandeln där intervjuer utförts på både distributionsenheter samt livsmedelsbutiker. Sammanlagt har tolv respondenter intervjuats. Slutsats: Studien konstaterar att vissa styrningsverktyg inom lean kan implementeras på företag inom den svenska dagligvaruhandeln för att minska matsvinn. Däremot har en problematisk balansgång mellan minskat matsvinn och kund nöjdhet identifierats vilket hämmar matsvinnsreducering en. Vidare har studien gett praktiska tillvägagångssätt för att effektivisera distributions- och butiksledet. Dessa hjälpmedel ska användas för att reducera aktörernas matsvinn vilket leder till minskad negativ miljöpåverkan samt ökad lönsamhet.

The aim of this thesis is to describe perceived barriers and drivers and analyze its impact on the implementation of strategies among food retailers in order to reduce food waste. On supply chain, food retailers are in the powerful position, communicating both consumers and suppliers. Existing literatures and our findings show that food retailers engage mostly in strategies to prevent and re-use food waste. The methodology used in this thesis is qualitative research through single case study design in order to gain valuable insights from food retailers and develop the existing theories. The empirical date is collected through semi-structured interviews with a store manager, the head of logistics and a project manager and environmental ambassador, Karin Bildsten. The findings had formed several learning points. First, in this case the major barrier is lack of resources in financial and knowledge terms in order to implement strategies. Second, consumers have a strong impact on the implementation of strategies, playing both as drivers and barriers. Lastly, environmental consideration of employees is a strong driver as well as positive response from society toward implementing different strategies. This research intended to give inspiration to other researchers into this new field of research. The authors concluded with practical recommendations to food retailers as well as some advices to different stakeholders.

Matsvinn är ett problem som genomsyrar hela livsmedelskedjan och ger upphov till ekonomiska förluster, negativ miljö- och klimatpåverkan och utömning av ändliga resurser. Den förändring som krävs för att motverka dessa negativa effekter är enorm. I Sveriges skolor är förlusterna i form av slängd mat en fråga om ett kostsamt slöseri, dels ur miljösynpunkt, men också med hänsyn till kommuners begränsade resurser. På grund av detta är behoven av svinnreducerande åtgärder stora. Någonting som kan hjälpa till att minska omfattningen av matsvinnsproblemet är beteendeförändring. Tyvärr kan vi inte förvänta oss att förändring skall ske på tu man hand. Vi behöver styrmedel som kan knuffa oss i rätt riktning. Denna uppsats är ett teoretiskt underlag som undersöker och beskriver hur nudging, ett verktyg för hållbara beteenden, kan vara en del av lösningen på matsvinnsproblemet i skolor. Rekommendationer för utformning och införande av sådana förändringsstrategier presenteras, med särskilt fokus på planerade åtgärder (nudges) och praktisk tillämpning. Målet är att studien skall kunna bidra till tillämpningen av beteendeinsikter inom miljöområdet. Två tidigare studier ligger som grund för uppsatsen, en litteraturstudie, som syftat till att undersöka nudging som ett hjälpmedel för hållbar samhällsutveckling, och en pilotstudie, som syftat till att undersöka elevers beteende i matsalen och hur de handskas med maten som blir över. Första studien fann flera praktiska brister om nudging (verktyget) skall brukas lyckosamt, långvarigt och i större utsträckning inom miljöarbetet. Pilotstudien fann irrationellt fattade beslut bland elever. För att svara på hur nudging kan vara en del av lösningen på problemet med bortkastad mat i skolor tillämpade uppsatsen det strategiska ramverket för hållbar utveckling. Enligt det strategiska ramverket för hållbar utveckling tillämpas nudges som en katalyserande åtgärd medan nudging är ett konkret verktyg för strategiskt beteendeförändringsarbete. I uppsatsen presenteras nudging och nudges som två separata delar av beteendeförändringsarbetet, vilket förtydligar begreppens omfattning och roll i problemlösningen samt att det också illustrerar hur respektive del kan vara en egen del av lösningen på problemet. Utifrån kartläggning av orsaker och faktorer som står i vägen för en önskvärd beteendeförändring, drar uppsatsen slutsatser om att det finns en teoretisk potential att använda nudging för att främja en hållbar utveckling i skolor och minska matsvinnet, främst när eleverna är på väg att lämna matsalen, men också vid uppläggningssituationen och under ordinarie skoltid. Identifierade områden att fokusera på vid tillämpningen av nudges var främst feedback och återkoppling, smarta ankare, ordning, normativa budskap, engagemang, påminnelser, färre alternativ, strategisk planering, upplysning av förluster och minskat socialt bevis. Utöver detta, gav uppsatsen slutligen förslag för arbete med nudging ur ett ovan- eller underperspektiv (genom att integrera bedömningsfrågor i beslutandeprocessen) för att anpassa tillämpningen av åtgärder. / Food waste is a problem that permeates the whole food supply chain and cause economic losses, negative effects on the climate and environment and depletion of finite resources. The scale of required change necessary to counteract the negative effects is huge. In Swedens schools food waste loss is a matter of a costly wastage, both from an environmental perspective, but also with regard to municipalities' limited resources. Due to this, there is a big demand for waste loss reducing measures. Something that can help mitigate the extent of the food waste problem is behavioral change. Unfortunately, we cannot expect change to occur on one’s own. We need tools that can nudge us in the right direction. This thesis is a theoretical base that explores and describes how nudging, a tool for sustainable behaviors, can be a part of the solution to the food waste problem in school canteens. Recommendations for design and implementation of such change strategies are presented, with a special focus on planned interventions (nudges) and practical application. The goal is that the study will contribute to the application of behavioral insights in the environmental field. The foundation of the thesis consists of two earlier studies, a literature study, aimed at examining nudging as a tool for sustainable societal development, and a pilot study, aimed at examining students' behavior in canteens, and how they deal with leftovers. The first study found a number of practical shortcomings if nudging (the tool) is to be used successfully, long-term and more extensively in environmental work. The pilot study found irrationally made decisions among students. In order to answer how nudging can be part of the solution to the food waste problem in schools, the thesis applied the strategic framework for sustainable development. According to the strategic framework for sustainable development nudges employs as a catalyzing action while nudging is a tangible tool for strategic behavior change management. In the thesis nudging and nudges are presented as two separate parts of the behavior change management process, this also illustrates how each part can be part of the solution to the problem, because it clarifies the scope of the notions and their role in resolving the issue. Based on knowledge gained from the pilot study, the thesis draws conclusions that there is a theoretical potential to use nudging to encourage sustainable development in school canteens and reduce food waste, especially when students are about to leave the canteen, but also in the serving situation and during everyday school hours. Identified areas to focus on when applying nudges were mainly evaluation and feedback, smart anchors, order, normative messages, commitment, reminders, fewer options, strategic planning, loss disclosure and less social proof. In addition to this, the thesis finally gave suggestions for working with nudging from an above- or below perspective (by integrating assessment questions in the decision-making process) to adjust the application of interventions.

This paper addresses how food systems and transboundary food supply chains are mediated and shaped by (cross-) cultural and geopolitical borders that function as selective filters. We focus on the ways in which the political boundary in a formerly cohesive foodshed generates "edge effects" that affect (1) food safety, and (2) food waste, particularly in desert communities adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico border. We hypothesize that as these various boundary lines get "out of register" with one another, their dissonance creates both unexpected impacts as well as opportunities for positive change. This initial analysis demonstrates how multiple (and often permeable) social, economic, and ecological edges intersect with food supply chain vulnerabilities and economic opportunities at the border. Drawing on examples from food safety and food waste surrounding the "Ambos Nogales" port of entry on the Arizona-Sonora border, we document the ways in which the border produces ecological and social edge effects that are dissonant with the official legal boundary.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Carol W. Shanklin / This study used two operational research components to explore strategies to decrease waste in university dining facilities. Component one assessed students’ beliefs and behaviors toward food waste in a selected dining center. The relationships between students’ food waste behavior, sustainability beliefs, and demographics were evaluated with the use of a self-administered survey and continual food waste monitoring. This study also assessed whether simple prompt-type message interventions had an impact or if the addition of more personally relevant feedback-based data elicited a greater change in consumer beliefs and behaviors On average, more than 57 grams of edible food was left on each tray. Food waste behaviors were not influenced by demographic factors. Individuals with higher levels of food waste beliefs also disposed of less edible food items. The simple prompt-type messages stimulated a 15% reduction in food waste. The addition of more personalized feedback-based messages did not stimulate a change above that of the prompt message. These findings indicate that simply making university students aware of the topic of food waste may be useful in improving their behaviors. Component two evaluated the operational feasibility of implementing tray free dining at Kansas State University Dining Services. Telephone interviews with managers of university dining facilities involved in tray free dining were conducted to identify best practices. Focus groups of students were used with a written survey to gain insight into their perceptions of tray free dining. Benefits included: decreased waste, reduced chemical, resource, and food costs, and improved student satisfaction. Managers identified complaints and dining room cleanliness as negative outcomes. Student involvement, education, and communication were strongly recommended by both managers and students. This research supports the recommendation to consider the implementation of tray free dining at Van Zile. Decreased costs, improved satisfaction, and positive public perception are likely positive outcomes.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations suggest that out of all food that is produced, 1/3 ends up as food waste. In high income countries, such as Sweden, the food waste mainly originates from the last stages of the food chain, e.g. at food stores and households. Sweden is a member of the EU as well as the United Nations, and follows the common legislation for waste in the EU and has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals from the United Nations. In the Sustainable Development Goal number 12, food waste in terms of reduction is addressed, although Sweden does not have a clear goal that addresses how to reduce food waste. Food banks have globally been a strategy to redistribute surplus food from the retail sector to people in need, something that has not been common in the Nordic region of Europe (including Sweden) until the 1980’s. However, in Sweden, food banks have not been used as a way to prevent food waste but as a way to help people in need, perhaps because there is a well-established well-fare system in the country. Recently, initiatives that redistribute surplus food from the retail sector have been developed - working towards different consumer groups and solutions. This study aimed to map out the different surplus food redistributing initiatives in Sweden, categorise them and analyse some of the initiatives that represented different solutions and consumer groups. The chosen initiatives were ReFood, City Mission Uppsala (Matkassen and Mikaelsgården), City Mission Stockholm (Matmissionen), Food2change, Foodloopz and Allwin. The methods used for analysing the chosen initiatives were Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, Social Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing. To weigh the environmental-, social- and economic impacts against each other, a total sustainability ranking system was used to point out the most favourable option for a redistributing surplus food initiative, in terms of sustainability. The results showed that the environmental impacts (Green House Gases (kg CO2 equivalents/functional unit)) were the lowest for, in this order, ReFood, Mikaelsgården and Allwin, Foodloopz, Matmissionen and Matkassen, and Food2change. For the social impacts, the results showed that Allwin is the initiative that redistribute the largest amount of surplus food to the consumer group “exposed people”, followed by Matmissionen that redistribute the second largest amount of surplus food to “people with low income”. Allwin is also the initiative with the highest capacity and largest yearly environmental savings, as the company redistributes a much larger amount of food than the other initiatives. The results for the economic impacts showed that all but one initiative, Food2change, have monthly financial losses. The overall sustainability ranking showed that the initiative that is the most favourable is Matkassen followed by Matmissionen and Allwin, Food2change, Foodloopz, ReFood and Mikaelsgården.

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are important building blocks for the chemical industry. These acids can be produced through environmentally friendly processes from a variety of wastes, such as food waste, sludge and cow manure, through anaerobic digestion (AD). The main objective of this thesis was to investigate which operating parameters (e.g. pH, retention time, mix of substrate etc.) are optimal for producing VFAs as efficiently as possible, through AD batch processes. The highest VFA concentration was reached at pH 10 and at day 11 when food waste and sludge were used as substrate to a value of 15.4 g/L, corresponding to 0.77 g VFAs/ g of VSfed. Highest VFA concentration where cow manure was used as substrate was reached on day 10 and with a value of about 10 g/L corresponding to 0.51 g VFAs/ g VSfed. / Flyktiga fettsyror (VFAs) är en viktig byggsten inom den globala kemiindustrin. Dessa fettsyror kan produceras med hjälp av miljövänliga processer där en mängd olika sorters avfall, som t.ex. matavfall, avloppsslam och koavföring kan fungera som substrat, genom anaerobisk rötning. Det huvudsakliga målet med den här kandidatuppsatsen var att utreda vilka de optimala driftförhållanden var för särskilt utvalda driftparametrar (t.ex. pH, retentionstid, mix av substrat etc.) för att producera flyktiga fettsyror så effektivt som möjligt, genom anaerobisk rötning. Högst koncentration av VFAs nåddes vid pH 10 på dag 11 när matavfall och avloppsslam användes tillsammans som substrat till ett värde på 15 g/L, vilket motsvarar en avkastning på 0.77 g VFAs / g VSin. Högst VFAs-koncentration när koavföring användes som substrat nåddes på dag 10 med ett värde på 10 g/L, motsvarande en avkastning på 0.51 g VFA/ g VSin.

Visste du att en tredjedel av all den mat som produceras slängs? (Globalamalen, u.å). Du kan lika väl kasta den tredje matkassen du inhandlat direkt, för det är ändå det du kommer att göra i slutändan. Detta fenomen kallas matsvinn, och är enkelt förklarat den maten som slängs i onödan. I Sverige står hushållen för majoriteten av landets totala matsvinn. Enligt Naturvårdsverket (2018) uppstod 1,3 miljoner ton matavfall i Sverige år 2016, vilket motsvarar 129 kilo per person, varav en tredjedel är klassat som rent matsvinn.  Världen står inför den stora utmaningen att tackla den växande miljökrisen. Om alla levde som vi i Sverige, skulle man behöva fyra jordklot för att kunna försörja hela världen med naturresurser (WWF, 2018). Vi behöver ändra vårt konsumtionsbeteende eftersom materiell konsumtion går hand i hand med vårt ekologiska fotavtryck. Enligt Naturvårdsverket (2018) står matsvinnet i Sverige för 20-25 procent av landets totala klimatpåverkan. I samma stund uppskattas cirka 870 miljoner människor vara undernärda (Naturvårdsverket, 2018).  En bidragande orsak är konsumenternas attityd till mat; vi uppskattar inte maten som vi gjorde förr och vi har glömt var den kommer ifrån. En central roll i det här fenomenet står media och designers för som marknadsför och uppmuntrar oss att konsumera mer och mer. Enligt en studie från Popia (2012) tas 76 procent av alla köpbeslut i butiken; därför har vi som designers en viktig roll i utformningen av förpackningar, reklam och skyltar. Matsvinn är en stor bidragande faktor till miljökrisen, och därför har vi valt att belysa detta område. I vårt arbete har vi valt att utforska området matsvinn och se hur vi genom grafisk design kan påverka, belysa och förändra beteenden och attityder hos konsumenter.  Vi anser att vi som designers har ett samhälleligt ansvar eftersom det är vi som är med och formar utvecklingen framåt. I det här arbetet kommer vi att undersöka dessa två frågeställningar: Går det att uppmuntra konsumenter på ett positivt sätt att långsiktigt förändra sitt beteende kopplat till matsvinn? Hur kan man genom designmetoder bryta konsumentbeteenden och attityder för att uppnå minskat matsvinn? Arbetet har resulterat i förpackningskonceptet SMASK!, där vi applicerat metoden beteendedesign på grafisk form. Utmaningarna är att genom grafisk design få konsumenten att ändra på invanda beteenden och skapa nya. Ett svinn-bra initiativ för en hållbar framtid. Vårt hem, vårt land, vårt uppdrag. / Did you know that one third of all the produced food gets thrown away? (Globalamalen, u.å). You might as well throw away the third grocery bag you purchased right away, because that is what you will do in the end. This phenomenon is called food waste, meaning the food that is thrown away unnecessarily. In Sweden, households account for the majority of the country's total food waste. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2018), 1.3 million tonnes of food waste arose in Sweden in 2016, which corresponds to 129 kilos per person, of which one third is classified as pure food waste. The world faces a major challenge of dealing with the growing environmental crisis. If everyone lived like us in Sweden, we would need four planets to be able to supply the whole world with natural resources (WWF, 2018). We need to change our consumption behavior, because material consumption goes hand in hand with our ecological footprint. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2018), food waste in Sweden accounts for 20-25 percent of the country's total climate impact. At the same time, approximately 870 million people in the world are estimated to be malnourished (Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, 2018). One contributing factor is the consumer's attitude towards food; we do not appreciate the food like we used to and we have forgotten where it comes from. Media and designers has a huge part in this phenomenon, who promote and encourage us to consume more and more. According to a study from Popia (2012), 76 percent of all purchasing decisions are made in the store; Therefore, as designers, we have an important role in the design of packaging, advertising and signs. Food waste is a major contributing factor to the environmental crisis, and we have therefore chosen to highlight this area. In our work we have chosen to explore the area of ​​food waste and see how we through graphic design can influence, illuminate and change behaviors and attitudes of consumers. We believe that as designers, we have a social responsibility in shaping the future. In this work, we will examine two issues: Is it possible to encourage consumers in a positive way to change their behavior towards food waste in the long term? How can design methods break consumer behavior and attitudes to achieve reduced food waste? Our work has resulted in a packaging concept called SMASK!, where we have applied behavioral design methods on graphic form. Our challenge is to change consumers behavior and create new ones through graphic design. A great initiative for a sustainable future. Our home, our country, our mission.

Background. The production of food requires great amounts of natural resources. Although, not all the food produced is consumed. Food waste is a global issue with the potential to create resource scarcity for future generations. Preventing food waste is an effective approach to avoid this outcome. Moreover, the prevention of food waste could decrease the environmental human print and balance the access to food around the world. In developed countries, the households contribute in a significant amount to the food waste problem.. It is mainly attributed to the behaviours that the consumers develop consciously and unconsciously. Therefore, it is significant to research further in the implications of awareness in the behaviours linked to food waste. Aspiration. The following research aims to find the effect of awareness in the consumer behaviours linked to food waste in the household through an experiment.    Method. A survey with 52 respondents was used to sample the participants of the experiment. From the respondents, 12 young adults aged between 18 to 29 years old, living by themselves in Visby, Sweden participated in the experimental study. The participants of the experiment were divided in two groups, the experimental and the control group. A treatment, consisting of an educational video regarding prevention of household food waste, was provided to the experimental group. The experiment measures how the participants were affected by the treatment.  Key findings. Regarding the awareness of household food waste, the experimental group had a significant improvement compared to the control group after the treatment. This proves that the consumers whose awareness of household food waste is increased present a higher potential to have their behaviours changed thus reducing household food waste. The hypothesis was proven, while the main finding indicates that as consumer advanced in the experiment the reported behaviours change considerably. While it was expected that the self-reporting of household food waste in the participants would be reduced, in fact, this incremented in some cases.

Background Worldwide, one-third of all produced food is going to waste, and the number is increasing every year which consequently calls for action. A substantial share of the food waste is the outcome of grocery stores throwing away suboptimal food which yet is eatable but due to the date labeling, damaged packaging or in terms of appearance standards cannot be sold. Throughout the last years, numerous unique businesses have been formed in Sweden to offer suboptimal food both online and in physical stores. Still, Swedish grocery stores stand for 30 000 tons of food being wasted which is directly linked to the still evident unwillingness to offer, purchase and consume suboptimal food. By no means, this is a significant problem and need to be changed in order to reach a more sustainable world. Till this day, qualitative research on the topic is scare. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to understand which components that affected Swedish grocery shoppers’ attitudes and purchase intentions towards suboptimal food in-store. Method In order to fulfil the purpose of this study, a qualitative methodology has been utilized. The qualitative data has been collected through semi-structured interviews amongst Swedish grocery shoppers. To explore the attitudes and purchase intentions towards suboptimal food product, an abductive research approach was applied to strengthen previous research findings and attempt to discover possible new theory.  Conclusion The empirical findings revealed that Swedish grocery shoppers in this research study hold an overall positive attitude towards suboptimal food. The study further reports four prominent barriers towards Swedish grocery shoppers’ purchase intentions of suboptimal food. In result, even though an overall positive attitude presented, the intention to purchase suboptimal food could be severely weakened by substantial restrictions encountered in grocery stores.