FOOD WASTAGE BY TUNISIAN HOUSEHOLDS

Abstract

Food waste (FW) is seen as an obstacle to achieving food and nutrition security andfood systems sustainability. It is known in literature that households are significantcontributors to the total amount of FW. This paper reports on results of an onlinesurvey that was conducted from February to April 2015 with a random sample of281 Tunisian adults. The aim of the survey is to assess the knowledge and relativeimportance of FW; attitudes towards FW; impacts of behaviors regarding food andfood management; quantity and value of FW; as well as barriers and willingness tobehavioral change. The sample was not gender-balanced (71.2% female and 28.8%male). The majority of the respondents was young (70.8% aged between 18 and 34years) and has high education level (95.4% having university and PhD degrees).Food waste is prevalent in Tunisia as about the half of respondents declare thatthey throw food. The most wasted food products are fruits, vegetables, and cerealsand bakery products. Only 42.7% of respondents declared that the economic valueof food waste generated each month is more than 6US$. Most of Tunisianrespondents have a good understanding of food labels that is probably due to thehigh education level of the sample. About 37% of respondents throw weekly atleast 250 g of still consumable food. To reduce FW in Tunisia it is important to seta strategy at all food chain levels. There is also an urgent need to raise people’s andorganizations awareness towards this problem. This article provides a basis for thedevelopment of other more context specific investigations and interventions for theprevention of household FW in Tunisia.