1. Large Quantities of Food and a Wide Range of Products and Brands on Display in Grocery Stores

This phenomenon is mostly found in developed countries, where grocery stores stock up on large quantities of products from various brands in order to meet consumers’ diverse tastes and preferences. These stores order a wide range of food types and brands from the same manufacturer to enjoy special discounted prices and reduce net cost. Consumers in these countries also expect a larger variety of foods in stores due to their higher purchasing power as compared to those in developing countries. With such a wide range of products available, the likelihood of some reaching their expiry date before being sold increases, resulting in spoilage and food loss. Consumers also expect shelves along the aisles of grocery stores to be well stocked. Although this physical appearance is beneficial for sales, the constant replenishment of supplies gives consumers the choice to choose products with later expiry dates and ignore those that are expiring soon. This is especially problematic for smaller retail stores or minimarts (popularly knowns as “Ma Ma Shops” in Singapore), creating more food wastage.

2. Cosmetic Filtering

In line with processing practices, food distributors in developed countries, such as supermarkets and grocery stores, adopt high ‘appearance quality standards’ for fresh products which consequently lead to food waste. To meet consumers’ expectations, supermarkets carry out rigorous quality checks on weight, size, shape and appearance on food products before they get a spot on the shelves. As such, some of these crops, which are perfectly safe and edible, do not even leave the farms due to their appearance. Rejected crops are then either used as animal feed or thrown out, resulting in wastage.

3. Poor Business Practices

In well-established restaurants and food stalls, owners often make a significant profit, allowing them to disregard the cost that comes from wasting food. Thus, chefs, waiters, and other staff members adopt this mentality and do not feel the need to cook exact amounts or properly all the time in order to save money for their boss. For example, the kitchen may produce too much food to ensure that consumers’ demands are met no matter what, and chefs who are inadequately trained may over or undercook food, contributing to food waste. Additionally, improper inventory management may result in chefs ordering more food just to play safe to ensure that demands are met, causing most of the excess food ordered to spoil get discarded.

4. Poor Conditions in Stores

In developing countries, very few wholesale grocery shops and supermarkets possess suitable storage or sales conditions for food items. Moreover, these stores are often small, unsanitary, overcrowded and ill-equipped with proper cooling systems. As such, even if food from farmers in developing countries are transported to stores in the most efficient way, much of these food items still spoil and become wasted.