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Consumers' approach to the problem of food waste
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1. In the case of Poland, the 'extra_id_1' phenomenon is calculated as follows:
Much of the food produced is already wasted in the production and distribution of food in stores, but the role of individual households in generating food losses is also significant. There are less than 2 billion people with adequate access to nutritionally valuable and safe food, a large part of the population is hungry, and the number of obese people is growing at the same time. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that up to one-third of food produced per year is wasted.2. The current consumer approach
The report shows that only 41.9% of Polish adults are in the habit of checking the contents of the refrigerator before choosing to shop, and on average half of the respondents find it unacceptable to buy unattractive-looking and unesthetically packaged products. Despite multi-pronged actions and social campaigns aimed at educating consumers, there is still a worryingly low public awareness of how to manage food surpluses, plan, make purchases and prepare meals later in order to avoid excesses.3. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating habits
The global epidemiological situation has forced many people to stay at home, which has consequently led to the disruption of the functioning of the immune system, which can also lead to an increase in the potential risk of COVID-19, according to an international online survey conducted in April 2020 involving more than 1,000 respondents. Poor overall health status of the population combined with a decrease in physical activity levels will contribute to the immune function, which in turn may lead to a rise in the risk of developing COVID-19 (A. Similar to the findings of the pandemic-related online survey). It was also observed that the prevalence of mental illness among adults who are overweight and overweight in Poland will increase by up to 12%.4. Limiting the waste of food at home ways
It is also worth considering what foods will be prepared over the next few days, so as to avoid buying unnecessary products that will be thrown away because of the lack of an idea to use them. Do not go to the store hungry, as this increases the likelihood of buying additional, usually highly processed, products that appeal to you with an attractive appearance or smell. Following the list will help you avoid buying useless products under the influence of advertisements, promotions or deceptive marketing bags. This will allow you to determine what you really need. Based on this, you should prepare a list of purchases.5. Management of household food supplies
At room temperature, products such as baked goods, pasta, cashews, flours, oils and oils, beverages, sugar, some concentrates can be stored. Proper food storage and inventory management are of utmost importance.6. Preserving food
It significantly preserves the properties of a fresh food product such as color, taste, smell, and also minimizes the loss of nutritional value. The responses were obtained from 2,800 respondents who responded in an online survey to questions about the frequency of buying fresh and frozen food. Martindale, W. Preservation of food plays a significant role in reducing the phenomenon of food waste at home. It is worth mentioning a study conducted in Australia. The results indicate that using ice cream can reduce food loss by six times when combined with fresh food (W. Schiebel, 2017).7. Checking dates for food intake
The consumer who reads the food labels when shopping is consciously choosing the ones that he will actually use to prepare meals. It is also essential to check the date of the product's usefulness for consumption. Limiting food waste in households is one of the key factors that can have a positive impact on the problem of food waste. He prepares a shopping list and checks the food stocks in advance, thereby limiting the amount of food loss resulting from the purchase, and remembering how to minimise the usefulness of this product before using it properly.
