Waste economy and a study on food consumption waste in Burdur province

Approximately 1.3 billion tons of food produced annually in the world is wasted at various stages of production and consumption, equivalent to about one-third of total food production. In today's world, with a population exceeding 8 billion, more than 10% of this population is living in hunger and poverty. Contemporary issues arise alongside population growth, urbanization, industrialization, globalization, and evolving consumer habits, and waste is one of them. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in number of studies focusing on food waste. The literature on both food production losses and food consumption waste is expanding. Waste in production and consumption of consumer goods is generally discussed within the context of sustainable development and circular economy, primarily considering its environmental implications. Consumer waste for products other than food in economy is not yet an adequately researched issue. The aim of this study is to analyze the concept of waste and categorize the types of waste emerging in various fields of economy based on existing research. The practical part of study aims to systematically present the quantity, monetary value, and determinants of household food waste. The first part of study analyzes the concept of waste within the framework of economics. The second part is dedicated to the current status of food waste, explaining the food losses and waste that occur from the initial stages of production to consumption. In the research section of the study, a survey was conducted regarding household food consumption and waste in Burdur province. The data obtained from the research were analyzed using the Multinomial Logit method. According to research findings, there is food waste amounting to 1.28 kg per household per week, with a value of 58.10 TL. The most wasted foods are vegetables, fruits and bread. Econometric analysis results indicate that income, employment status of those responsible for food at home, shopping frequency, frequency of ordering food from outside, utilization of leftover food on plates, preference for buying small quantities rather than bulk when shopping, and experiencing regret in cases of food waste, have statistically significant effects on household food waste.