Politics and Administration

Reducing food waste

A research team shows that the population is ready to go deeper into their pockets to reduce food waste. It prefers government regulations that set strict reduction targets and guarantee transparent control.

In Switzerland, 300 kilograms of impeccable food are thrown away every year per capita. Around one third of all food worldwide is affected by this fate – and the trend is set to increase. Food waste is also responsible for at least eight percent of global human greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the position of Swiss citizens on stricter regulations against food waste? How should they be designed and justified so that they are capable of securing a majority? And would the population also be willing to accept higher costs for less food waste? A new study drawn up by Lukas Fesenfeld, a postdoc at the Institute of Political Science, and the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research together with ETH researchers in the context of research cooperation, looks into these issues.

However, the study concludes that with the appropriate design and justification of regulations against food waste, policymakers can secure the support of the population.

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