Good Practices Contributing to Cleaner Food Production? A Preliminary Survey Analysis Involving Wrocław-Poland Food Retail Sector

Abstract

Good practices are among the direct/indirect components that influence agrofood safety knowledge, and occupying quality assurance control facets within the (agrofood) product industry. Cleaner production involves an integrated preventive environmental strategy applied to processes, products, and services, which increases overall efficiency, and reduces risks to humans/environment. However, ‘cleaner food production’ appears neither yet clearly defined nor well established. In this preliminary survey analysis, how good practices would contribute towards achieving cleaner food production in the context of food retail sector was performed. Specifically, Wrocław-Poland served as a case reference targeting managers/supervisors given their expected service, experience, and expertise. The sampling technique used was the judgment/purposive type, and the research instrument took the form of a questionnaire. Managers’/supervisors’ responses revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) across variables, with ‘yes’ emerging greater in most cases. Knowledge, experience, and expertise of good practices enabled the managers/supervisors connect with (some) cleaner production components. A total of 53 statistically significant correlations were found, wherein some showed perfect linear relationships. Specific to the context of (food) retail sector, the term “cleaner food production” could be defined as “the effective and efficient utilization of good practices to deliver high-quality food retail products through environmental-friendly as well as sustainable processes”.