Food wastage along the global food supply chain and the impact of food packaging

Abstract

Inadequate food handling throughout the food supply chain can result in food loss and waste, leading to significant environmental, economic and social impacts. Identifying the causes of food loss and waste across the food supply chain, including the role of packaging, is critical for developing reduction and prevention strategies. This review examines 54 scientific studies to identify packaging-related causes of food loss and waste, evaluate whether and how packaging contributes to or mitigates these issues, and propose measures to address them. The findings highlight the need for standardized terminology and methodologies to improve comparability among studies. Key packaging-related issues identified include difficulty emptying, damage and oversized packaging, which could be addressed through improved packaging design and machinery, customized packaging sizes, and consumer education. The packaging design must be adapted to address these key issues and simultaneously consider geographical areas, specific food products and types of packaging. Further research is needed to explore these connections more comprehensively and improve data comparability across methodologies and nomenclature.