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Literature Review

Food Waste and Hunger: Causes, Challenges, and Solutions

March 2025
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Introduction

The recent statistics on food waste and hunger are quite shocking and sobering, and

the problem is getting worse every year, affecting millions of people [1]. Food waste refers to

edible food lost at any stage, and hunger is the absence of access to enough food. One-fifth of

food produced is wasted each day, which equates to 1 billion meals in one day [1]

Overproduction, which leads to food going to waste, is one of the main drivers of

food waste [1]. Inefficiencies in the supply chain also stand in the way of food getting to

those who need it. Then there is consumer behavior such as overbuying and throwing out

food that is still edible [7]. This has a significant economic cost, harming the environment as

we generate both unnecessary waste and carbon emissions, and raises some deep ethical

issues as food is thrown away as people starve [1].

In this reporting, I will look at the literature on overproduction, supply chain

breakdowns, and consumer behaviours that lead to food waste and hunger. This review is

intended to show that better management and distribution of food can both minimize waste

and minimize hunger.

How Overproduction Contributes to Food Waste & Hunger

Agricultural overproduction is when food is produced beyond demand [2]. Market

demands and economic incentives in the form of government subsidies generally make

farmers grow food even in excess. However, this results in food waste when excess food is

not consumed. The link between overproduction and hunger is clear when you consider that

food is wasted even as many people still do not have enough to eat [2].
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For instance, in the article by Tóth and Zachár (2021), they mention how global

economic systems typically reinforce food insecurity. From their study, they demonstrate

these circumstances as systemic issues and that food waste is largely magnified by the

emergence of the economic inequalities of food distribution [2]. If all the wasted food was

more evenly distributed, they say, it could end hunger, they argue. But the current food

system creates profit and surplus production, but not a just distribution [2].

Messner et al. (2020), on the other hand, further elaborate by explaining the

"Prevention Paradox," stressing that systems operating in surplus are difficult to prevent food

waste in [3]. Overproduction also leads to waste in the long term because the excess food is

often discarded. This waste has an impact on the environment and increases hunger since the

surplus food does not reach people who are most in need [3].

The system incentivizes production that is wasted; food producers know the surplus

will be wasted [3]. That’s because, for producers and distributors, it’s more financially

advantageous to overproduce food. In the end, it's the hungry who lose out and they are the

unfortunate ones left behind when all this surplus food is discarded [3].

Therefore, a practical solution approach to overproduction is to use demand

forecasting tools to pump food production to meet real requirements. And more effective

inventory management and redistribution programs can better direct food that would

otherwise go to waste to those who need it [3].

Inefficiencies in the Supply Chain and Distribution of Food

Inefficiencies in the supply chain, which include poor logistics and storage issues, as

well as transportation delays, contribute to food waste. This problem is exacerbated in

developing countries due to poor infrastructure [4]. Add to this the impact of climate change
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events, trade barriers, and global crises like pandemics, disrupting food supply and generating

food waste [4].

Mor et al. (2015) attribute this food waste to the agricultural supply chain, which is

plagued by deficient infrastructure like insufficient storage capacity and transport delays [4].

They argue that technology, including better tracking systems and automated storage, is a

solution that can help improve distribution and reduce waste [4].

The COVID-19 pandemic, as Aday and Aday (2020) have noted, exacerbated and

interrupted food supply chains even more [5]. Demand was high, but food could not be

delivered in time because most of the world only had lockdowns and shortages of workers.

This disruption led to even more food being wasted when it could have been used to feed

people [5].

One of the key reasons wastages of food occurs due to logistic problems is that

surplus food, in various cases, goes unused and could have been diverted to regions of need.

The absence of storage facilities, for instance, means food rots before it can be distributed [5].

What can be done to redeem it is technology, which, if used correctly, could make supply

chains vastly more efficient. But there is a lot more that governments and the private sector

can do and they must collaborate so as to o ensure food reaches people most in need of it [4].

In this case, a very effective practical issue takes place in investing in better places, as

well as in transportation and logistics [5]. Governments and businesses need to support the

cold chain infrastructure and digital tracking systems needed to prevent food spoilage and

improve distribution [5].

How Consumer Behavior Impacts Household Food Waste

Consumer food waste is food that households or individuals are discarding, that could

potentially still be eaten [6]. This is a situation that occurs due to buying more food, storing

food in a wrong way, and not eating food in time such that it spoils [6]. Food waste in the

home is a very significant contributor to food loss on a global scale. It is especially a major

issue because while some people are throwing away food, millions of other people must go

hungry and suffer malnutrition [1].

According to Di Talia, Simeone, and Scarpato (2019), the issue is that a variety of

behaviors contribute to the problem of food waste, such as shopping on a large scale,

overcooking, and misinterpreting the expiration dates of food products [6]. Psychological

factors, including procrastination and cultural habits, also influence how food is disposed of

by consumers [6]. Devastating factors show that food waste is not simply a result of

carelessness; rather, it is a product of primary habits and societal conventions.

Schanes et al. (2018) conducted a review on household food waste and discovered

behaviors depend on social, economic, and psychological factors [7]. They also reveal that

food waste is a multifaceted problem and propose that successful remedies often require

being able to fully grasp these drivers [7]. They also advocate policies such as improved food

labelling, consumer education, and better waste management practices.

In many cases, food goes to waste because there’s a lack of understanding of its

environmental and social consequences. A practical solution to this issue includes, having

awareness campaigns and clear food labelling to guide consumers to purchase only the

necessary food items [7] are a long-term practical remedy. Promoting meal planning [6].
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Conclusion

From the literature review, we have seen that it's the overproduction, inefficiency in

supply chain, and consumer behavior that turns into food waste. On the other side, supply

chain issues keep food away from those in need. Poor food management is a prime example

of such issues at the household level. In part, addressing these challenges means that

governments and businesses need to adopt and implement sustainable policies that reduce

waste and increase distribution.

Technology goes hand-in-hand with achieving efficiency in the food supply chain,

and this can help reduce the losses significantly. Consumer education and responsibility are

also important for minimizing and reducing food waste at home by promoting better planning

and use of food.

Ultimately, the ability to solve the food waste problem needs a decent and

comprehensive solution of optimizing both production, distribution, and consumption as well.

Together, we could cut down on food waste and redress hunger, creating a more sustainable

food system for us all.

Bibliography

[1] World Food Programme, “5 facts about food waste and hunger | World Food

Programme,” www.wfp.org, Jun. 25, 2024. https://www.wfp.org/stories/5-facts-about-food-

waste-and-hunger

[2] G. Tóth and J. Zachár, “Towards Food Justice – The Global-Economic Material Balance

Analysis of Hunger, Food Security and Waste,” Agronomy, vol. 11, no. 7, p. 1324, Jun. 2021,

doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071324.

[3] R. Messner, C. Richards, and H. Johnson, “The ‘Prevention Paradox’: food waste

prevention and the quandary of systemic surplus production,” Agriculture and Human Values,

Jan. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-019-10014-7. Body Paragraph 2: Supply

Chain Inefficiencies and Food Distribution Issues

[4] R. Mor, S. Singh, A. Bhardwaj, and L. Singh, “Technological Implications of Supply

Chain Practices in Agri-Food Sector: A Review,” International Journal of Supply and

Operations Management, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 720–747, Aug. 2015, doi:

https://doi.org/10.22034/2015.2.03.

[5] S. Aday and M. S. Aday, “Impacts of COVID-19 on Food Supply Chain,” Food Quality

and Safety, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 167–180, Aug. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/fqsafe/fyaa024.

Body Paragraph 3: Consumer Behavior and Household Food Waste

[6] E. Di Talia, M. Simeone, and D. Scarpato, “Consumer behaviour types in household food

waste,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 214, pp. 166–172, Mar. 2019, doi:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.216.
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[7] K. Schanes, K. Dobernig, and B. Gözet, “Food waste matters - A systematic review of

household food waste practices and their policy implications,” Journal of Cleaner Production,

vol. 182, no. 1, pp. 978–991, May 2018.