SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Sustain. Food Syst.
Sec. Climate-Smart Food Systems
Strategies and framework for achieving environmental sustainability in the retail food supply chain: Food loss and waste management
Provisionally accepted
- 1Jiangsu University School of Management, Zhenjiang, China
- 2Southeast University School of Economics and Management, Nanjing, China
- 3Sichuan University of Arts and Science, Dazhou, China
- 4Shanghai Jiao Tong University Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai, China
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Food loss and waste (FLW) pose a significant impediment to environmentally sustainable development, impacting waste management, climate change, and food security. A substantial proportion of global food production, approximately one-third, is lost or wasted. FLW within retail supply chains is a critical concern, necessitating innovative strategies to mitigate its considerable economic, social, and environmental ramifications. Employing efficient operational and inventory management techniques to reduce food loss and waste (FLW) can yield considerable cost savings and enhance the economic and environmental sustainability of the retail supply chain. Addressing FLW comprehensively necessitates a novel framework encompassing all aspects of transportation, packaging, and management protocols. This paper critically assesses empirical studies from 2009 to 2025 to identify key research gaps and propose strategies for mitigating FLW. The study identifies three primary deficiencies: inadequate focus on food loss and waste (FLW) stemming from ineffective packaging, limited understanding of logistical inefficiencies contributing to FLW, and a lack of research concerning the impact of management practices on perishable food supply chains. Addressing these gaps, the study aims to enhance awareness of FLW mitigation strategies, emphasizing the importance of collaborative supply chain efforts and integrated methodologies. This study investigates strategies for improving operational performance via food loss and waste (FLW) reduction and the establishment of sustainable waste management systems, examining the impacts of packaging, transportation, and management practices. Findings underscore the necessity of proactive and innovative approaches from both public and private entities in minimizing FLW. Effective FLW reduction methods can lead to a more sustainable and efficient food supply chain, yielding significant positive environmental, social, and economic consequences.
Keywords: Environmental Impacts, Food loss and waste (FLW), Food Supply chain, Retailers, sustainability
Received: 09 Sep 2025; Accepted: 10 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Abbas, TIAN, Faiz, Jiang and Ullah. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Gang TIAN
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