An Analysis of the Determinants Affecting Waste Rates of Fresh Vegetables in the Local Food Stores－A Case Study of the Suncheon Local Food Stores－

Local food stores differentiate themselves from the other retailers with the ‘one－day display principle’, which means that fresh vegetables are harvested and sold on the same day, but they are struggling with waste of fresh vegetables. This study analyzed the waste management cases of fresh vegetables in local food stores and hypermarkets, and analyzed the determinants of waste by item and farmer for Suncheon local food. The results of this study are as follows. First, as local food stores that farmers determine the amount of shipment have a much higher waste rate than hypermarkets, it is imperative to prepare strategies to reduce waste. Second, it is important to control the timing of shipment through close cooperation with farmers because the waste rates of fresh vegetables increase as sales are concentrated in a specific period. Third, the faster the average warehousing time of farmers, the lower the waste rate. Thus efforts to shorten the warehousing time of farmers are needed. In the future, it is important to establish data in order for local food stores to secure competitiveness as retail stores and systematically manage wastes.