Environmental impacts caused by food waste: A case study in Brazilian supermarkets

The growing global demand for food, alongside with an increase in the environmental pressures and food insecurity, highlights the urgency of addressing food loss and food waste. This study investigates the magnitude and environmental impact of fruit and vegetable waste in three Brazilian supermarkets located in the State of São Paulo. Using waste composition analysis and life cycle assessment, 2,160.3 kilograms of unsold fruit and vegetables were quantified over one week per store, corresponding to an estimated 2,366.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions. The products with the highest waste were bananas, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, and oranges — accounting for nearly half the total waste mass. Emissions were highest for fruits, followed by vegetables, and tubers, bulbs and roots. Unlike many studies that rely on secondary data or literature, this research provides original, primary data from supermarket waste, offering valuable insights into retail-level food waste and its environmental consequences. The study emphasizes the importance of targeting high-impact waste categories and implementing context-specific interventions, including improved cold chain infrastructure, employee training, and flexible product specifications. Findings offer actionable insights for retailers to reduce food loss and food waste and associated emissions, contributing to national and international sustainability goals. The integration of waste quantification with life cycle assessment represents a robust approach to identifying environmental hotspots and informing food loss and food waste mitigation strategies in supermarket retail. • In Brazil, leafy vegetables are commonly sold under take-back agreements • The most wasted fruits and vegetables are bananas, tomatoes, and cabbage • The three companies altogether would be responsible for a total of 113 tons of waste and emit almost 123.5 tCO2eq. • The most wasted foods in each category analyzed, which contribute the most to climate change, are: tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers (vegetables); bananas, oranges and apples (fruits); cabbage and broccoli (leaves, flowers and stems); and potatoes, cassava and carrots (tubers, bulbs and roots). • Supermarkets are a crucial intermediary between food production and consumption and can influence both production trends and consumer purchasing behaviors.