Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?

The target 12.3 of the 2030 Agenda by the United Nations (UN) calls for halving per capita global food loss and waste. In this regard, the Food & Drink industry (F&D) could play a crucial role in reducing food waste and improving food safety by adopting healthy and eco-innovation packaging....

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Antonella Cammarelle, Mariarosaria Lombardi, Rosaria Viscecchia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1963
id doaj-fee5112fec8040609464565ec117cd98
record_format Article
spelling doaj-fee5112fec8040609464565ec117cd982021-02-12T00:05:56ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502021-02-01131963196310.3390/su13041963Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?Antonella Cammarelle0Mariarosaria Lombardi1Rosaria Viscecchia2Department of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resource and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, ItalyDepartment of Economics, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, ItalyDepartment of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resource and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, ItalyThe target 12.3 of the 2030 Agenda by the United Nations (UN) calls for halving per capita global food loss and waste. In this regard, the Food & Drink industry (F&D) could play a crucial role in reducing food waste and improving food safety by adopting healthy and eco-innovation packaging. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the F&D manufacturers’ willingness to invest in packaging innovations, such as active, intelligent, and compostable ones to achieve the UN target. In order to reach the stated objective, a multiple case study methodology was developed and administered to a sample of Italian micro and small-medium entrepreneurs located in the Apulia region. Results show that many firms were aware of their need for packaging innovation and of the available technological opportunity. However, only the F&D manufacturers who showed a Real demand, according to a taxonomy approach which also considers the Potential and Latent demand for the innovation, were effectively prompt to invest. Finally, most of the interviewed manufacturers were willing to invest in at least one packaging innovation, choosing mainly between the active packaging and the compostable one.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1963food wastefood safetydemand for innovationpackaging innovationseco-innovationhealth innovation
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Antonella Cammarelle
Mariarosaria Lombardi
Rosaria Viscecchia
spellingShingle Antonella Cammarelle
Mariarosaria Lombardi
Rosaria Viscecchia
Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?
Sustainability
food waste
food safety
demand for innovation
packaging innovations
eco-innovation
health innovation
author_facet Antonella Cammarelle
Mariarosaria Lombardi
Rosaria Viscecchia
author_sort Antonella Cammarelle
title Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?
title_short Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?
title_full Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?
title_fullStr Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?
title_full_unstemmed Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?
title_sort packaging innovations to reduce food loss and waste: are italian manufacturers willing to invest?
publisher MDPI AG
series Sustainability
issn 2071-1050
publishDate 2021-02-01
description The target 12.3 of the 2030 Agenda by the United Nations (UN) calls for halving per capita global food loss and waste. In this regard, the Food & Drink industry (F&D) could play a crucial role in reducing food waste and improving food safety by adopting healthy and eco-innovation packaging. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the F&D manufacturers’ willingness to invest in packaging innovations, such as active, intelligent, and compostable ones to achieve the UN target. In order to reach the stated objective, a multiple case study methodology was developed and administered to a sample of Italian micro and small-medium entrepreneurs located in the Apulia region. Results show that many firms were aware of their need for packaging innovation and of the available technological opportunity. However, only the F&D manufacturers who showed a Real demand, according to a taxonomy approach which also considers the Potential and Latent demand for the innovation, were effectively prompt to invest. Finally, most of the interviewed manufacturers were willing to invest in at least one packaging innovation, choosing mainly between the active packaging and the compostable one.
topic food waste
food safety
demand for innovation
packaging innovations
eco-innovation
health innovation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1963
work_keys_str_mv AT antonellacammarelle packaginginnovationstoreducefoodlossandwasteareitalianmanufacturerswillingtoinvest
AT mariarosarialombardi packaginginnovationstoreducefoodlossandwasteareitalianmanufacturerswillingtoinvest
AT rosariaviscecchia packaginginnovationstoreducefoodlossandwasteareitalianmanufacturerswillingtoinvest
_version_ 1724273884456288256