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Short abstract:

The paper investigates the potential role of food districts established in Italy as part of a more effective food waste reduction strategy that can actively involve micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, creating sustainable integrated territorial systems in conjunction with urban food policies

Long abstract:

In the EU, 54% of food waste generated annually is due to household consumption and the remainder to the production chain, where the largest contribution (21%) is attributable to post-primary production. In this context, to achieve the target to halve food waste and reduce losses by 2030, a recent proposal to amend Directive 2008/98/CE plans to assign clear responsibility to Member States.

Although household consumption is the main contributor to waste generation and so far policies have focused on this part of the supply chain, the amount of food waste can be measured more effectively among production stages, just as binding measures with verifiable impact can be imposed.

Studies show that the main drivers which generate food waste among the production stages relate to inefficiencies and trade-offs; moreover, failures in food business operations as well as lack of cooperation between actors can lead to food waste. It should also be considered that the food sector is mostly populated by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that often lack the economic, organizational and knowledge resources to implement an effective strategy to address food waste issues.

In Italy, food districts established under the act 205/2017 should promote territorial development, and, among other goals, reduce food waste. So far, food districts was established in many regions focusing mainly on the promotion of quality and organic productions, but they could act as key-actors in promoting cooperation between food business operators to pursue food waste reduction goals, as well as promising links with urban food policies.