Food waste is currently one of the biggest contributors to climate change whilst exacerbating food inequalities and economic inefficiencies. Redistribution and reprovisioning of surplus food has been identified as one of the key ways for commercial food businesses to address food waste prevention as part of this broader food supply challenge either directly donating to charitable/community groups or through third party charitable organisations.
By following the flow of food through surplus redistribution chains my PhD aims to look at the additional social and bureaucratic weight that is attached with a food donation and specifically the way responsibility is practised and managed within such a redistribution model across all actors (food retailers and manufacturers/donor, redistribution/broker and receiving organisation). To inform decision making, the definition and delegation of ‘responsibility’ itself is critical for the identification of efficient and ethical food waste prevention and redistribution strategies, exploring responsibility in practice by following a redistribution chain underpins this qualitative study. The research findings will inform best practice to help for all actors involved in the food redistribution navigate what may be competing responsibilities and tensions.