Food waste at the school level : A case study on a food waste reductionproject within school restaurantsin Uppsala, Sweden

This thesis offers a case study analysis of the food waste in schools focusing on the pupils’ knowledge of foodwaste issues. The thesis uses a project initiated by the municipality of Uppsala which aims at reducing theamount of food wasted in the schools restaurants as a case study. The knowledge of food waste issues frompupils of Uppsala has been assessed with questionnaires. The amount of pupil’s food waste generation is alsoshown in the thesis. At first it is seen that older pupils waste more than younger ones. Looking at theirknowledge, pupils in general ignore the environmental and ethical consequences of food waste but are aware ofthe economic consequences. The current food waste reduction project implemented by the municipality ofUppsala seems to work only for the schools where the pupils are aware of the incentive in place. This incentiveaims to reward the pupils from the schools which reduce their food waste other time. The results obtained fromthe questionnaires, the results from current food waste reduction project and the interviews (with the person incharge of the food waste reduction project and a kitchen staff) are analyzed through a theoretical frameworkbased on environmentally significant behavior theory. Later, suggestions are made in order to improve thecurrent project. For instance, it is advised to review the current incentive depending on the schools by working incooperation with the schools and the pupils. Also, the pupils need to obtain a better basic understanding of foodwaste issues through instruction in formal and informal ways. The project itself could be reviewed in order tobetter integrate the pupils’ opinions and their degree of understanding of the food waste issues but also tocooperate more with the different stakeholders in the project