THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES IN REDUCING AND DISPOSING FOOD WASTE

Year 2023, Volume: 10 Issue: 4, 288 - 307, 18.10.2023

Okan Çolak

Abstract

This study aims to identify what innovative technological solutions companies offer to reduce avoidable and unavoidable food waste and how successful these solutions are. The data in the study were obtained through document analysis, a qualitative research method. Within the study's scope, case studies and information from the websites of sixteen firms providing technological solutions for minimising avoidable food waste and nine firms providing technical solutions for unavoidable food waste disposal, alongside news articles and academic research about these firms, were analysed. Companies offer technological solutions to prevent food waste by tracking, analysing, and reporting it directly. Companies also have indirect technological solutions to prevent food waste, such as accurate sales forecasting, production planning, menu analysis, inventory management, production enhancement, temperature monitoring, and risk analysis. Technological solutions for directly reducing food waste can achieve a 30-70% reduction. Companies that utilize production planning technology based on sales demand forecasting reduce food waste by 52-82%, while other innovative solutions can achieve a 35-50% reduction. Furthermore, the companies' technological solutions offer reductions of up to 24% in food costs and up to 20% in labour costs. By using tech solutions, companies can improve sales forecasting and production planning by 50% and operational processes by 40%. Companies have different ways to deal with unavoidable food waste, such as turning it into energy, making new products, finding new ways to sell it, and using new composting methods.

Keywords

Avoidable Food Waste, Unavoidable Food Waste, Innovative Technological Solutions

Ethical Statement

In this research, where the articles were reviewed through document analysis, no ethics committee approval or legal/special permission was required.

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