Consumer habits and food losses as a case study of the behavior of schoolchildren and students in the canteens of educational establishments

This study aims to identify the consumer habits of people and their level of awareness in the matters of food loss and food waste. As a part of the study, people’s behavior monitoring in canteens of educational establishments was carried out during the lunch break: at school for 5 days and in a university for 10 days. Thus, the size of food waste was recorded for each component of the lunch, as a percentage of a full serving as well as in weight equivalent. The data obtained were expanded and supplemented by interviewing 536 students and schoolchildren. As a result of the poll, data were obtained on the eating habits and preferences of visitors of catering places in universities and schools, also the respondents’ awareness level of their own food waste and food left by others was assessed.