Structural and logistical issues with the food industry.
From a business perspective – hurdles arise from poor logistics and operations. The result is an increase in food waste.
Interestingly, countries different stages of development cause food waste in different parts of the supply chain.
Research found that “food is wasted in the earlier stages of the supply chain in the case of developing countries, and in the later stages of the supply chain, in the case of developed countries.”
Legislation is the other core institutional factor. For example, if a supermarket makes a variety change for a certain fruit, growers with the old variety can no longer use this same stock.
If legislation on pesticides and herbicides changes, there is a similar story.
Contamination of goods, such as human stowaways can also lead to waste. Other issues like incorrect documentation, or transport logistics problems also factor. For example, lorry drivers cannot enter a country until their documents are approved and this often causes delays.