Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Food waste is a global issue with profound environmental, economic, and social consequences, as approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is either lost or wasted. Over the past decades, food waste (FW) management strategies have become more efficient, with landfilling gradually declining across Europe in favour of more sustainable options. European directives prioritize the prevention of surplus food production, as well as the reuse, recycling, and recovery of FW. In line with these principles, initiatives such as social supermarkets (SSMs) have emerged to divert surplus food from waste and redistribute it to financially vulnerable populations at affordable prices. This case study conducted a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a Swedish SSM. To provide a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of SSM operations, system expansions like food substitution and the rebound effect were incorporated. The results were compared to the global warming potential (GWP) of more common FW management options in Sweden, such as anaerobic digestion and incineration with energy recovery. Additionally, the study offered insights into the social aspects of SSMs, emphasizing their potential to complement existing FW management strategies while addressing socio-economic challenges. The data collection employed questionnaires that were administrated to the SSM’s customers. The results show that the SSM is more effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions (-2.53 t CO2e/FU) than anaerobic digestion and incineration (-0.23 and -0.11 t CO2e/FU, respectively). However, the rebound effect offset 87% of this benefit, with -0.18 t CO2e/FU as a net result. From a social perspective, customers are generally satisfied with the SSM, particularly appreciating the autonomy and dignity it offers in purchasing groceries compared to other forms of food assistance.