Work

Preventing and Recovering Food Waste in Manufacturing Firms: A Contingency Perspective on Circular Economy Practices

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Food waste is a sustainability concern in the food industry, which can be mitigated through a circular economy. Circularity can be limited by contextual constraints, such as the characteristics of the waste to be recovered. However, their study in the context of food waste is scarce. Through contingency theory, this work explores which food waste flow characteristics (homogeneous quality, certain timing, sufficient quantity, economic value, and nutritional value) play a role in achieving high circular economy performance. The food waste flows generated by 15 Italian food manufacturing firms are analyzed with qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). The analysis reveals that only a few characteristics may be sufficient for high circular economy performance. The characteristics are contingency factors: Depending on the recognized contingencies, firms may decide to prevent or recover food waste flows out of convenience, necessity, or because of ethics. To improve their circular economy performance, firms can also modify the contingencies themselves.

Source: Business Strategy and the Environment

DOI: 10.1002/bse.70261

Authors: Stella Viscardi, Claudia Colicchia, Alessandro Creazza

Institutions: Politecnico di Milano, University Carlo Cattaneo

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,480