Research project Changing Practices and Habits through Open, Responsible, and Social Innovation towards Zero Food Waste

In progress CHORIZO 01/10/2022 → 30/09/2025

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Fleur Marchand

Scientific director of Social Sciences department

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General introduction

In the CHORIZO project, we study how social norms influence food losses and waste (FLW) behaviors across the food supply chain. The researchers aim is to provide science-based evidence of how social norms in food system actors influence FLW behaviors. The goal is to achieve (1) an assessment of results from previous FLW actions to identify key success factors and pathways to solve FLW and (2) generate new new evidence of the influence of social norms on FLW behaviours. In addition, as a test CHORIZO provides capacity building activities to foster the behavioral changes in food systems required to solve FLW.

Research approach

CHORIZO uses advanced modelling techniques to produce solutions that integrate behavioural and economic theories to interpret social norms and behavioural data in order to effectively engineer innovation processes and outputs. CHORIZO employs 6 case studies (CS), each of which focuses on a different consumption context. These are schools, restaurants, hotels, households, food banks and smart food packaging. Each CS has three aims: (i) to provide information and data on the context and impact of previous FLW prevention/reduction actions, thus enriching the evidence-based analysis on previous FLW actions; (ii) to generate new evidence on the interaction between social norms, behavior and food waste, to feed into the projects FW models and innovation products; and (iii) to validate the communication & science education packages of the project.

Relevance/Valorization

CHORIZO disseminates knowledge to significantly accelerate progress towards zero food waste. The actors in the food chain can thus make good use of the insights about social norms. We expect innovation products that can promote change in social norms regarding food waste. These products include more effective (sectoral) guidance, communication & science education packages (with children as a key target group as they are the consumers of the future) and capacity building actions among food processors and suppliers.