Imperfect Fruit and Vegetables: The impact of Woolworths Food aesthetic standards on post-harvest food waste in South Africa.

Abstract

Approximately one third of all food produced is wasted in South Africa, with majority of this waste occurring at the post-harvest stage in the food supply chain (WWF, 2017). Food waste results in a host of negative environmental and socio-economic consequences such as greenhouse gas production, wasted resources, food insecurity and malnutrition (WWF, 2017; Blanckenberg, Fawole and Opara, 2022). Fruit and vegetables make up 44% of all wasted food in South Africa and an alarming amount of this waste is due to aesthetic or cosmetic quality standards imposed by retailers such as Woolworths South Africa (WWF, 2017; Blanckenberg et al, 2022). Despite its nutritional value, edible fruit and vegetables are discarded or dumped in landfill based purely on these superficial standards (Blanckenberg et al, 2022; Birau and Faure, 2017). This leads to economic, logistical, and moral burdens for stakeholders such as farmers earlier on in the food supply chain (Devin and Richards, 2018). This research paper explores the effect of Woolworths aesthetic standards on post-harvest food waste in South Africa and the impact this has on Woolworths as a meaningful brand (Du Plooy-Cilliers, Davis and Bezuidenhout, 2014; The IIE, 2022). An interpretivist research approach that made use of qualitative research methods was conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon (Du Plooy-Cilliers et al, 2014). Qualitative content analysis was conducted to collect a non-probability purposive sample of artefacts such as company documents, a journal article and transcribed interview (Du Plooy-Cilliers et al, 2014). Due to lack of available data, artefacts and time constraints, the researcher delimited the research by using one fruit, namely the Packham’s Triumph pear, as a case study for this research paper (Du Plooy-Cilliers et al, 2014). Using a hybrid, of inductive and deductive, approach the data set was coded and analysed following the six step method for thematic analysis outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) (Du Plooy-Cilliers et al, 2014). The main themes identified from the thematic analysis were Perceived Quality, Supply Chain Inadequacies and Post-Harvest Food Waste (Braun and Clarke, 2006). The findings from the thematic analysis of the data set indicated that aesthetic standards for fruit and vegetables adhered to by Woolworths do have a negative effect on the environment, socio-economic factors and stakeholders earlier in the food supply chain (see Food Forward SA Has Sustainable and Cost-Effective Solution to Address Hunger Crisis, 2021; Blanckenberg et al, 2022). Woolworths (2022) South Africa’s value proposition is to provide customers with exceptional quality fruit and vegetables, therefore the business adheres to aesthetic standards and government regulations for Class 1 fresh produce (Blanckenberg et al, 2022; Department Of Agriculture, Forestry And Fisheries, 2016). However, these aesthetic standards have a negative knock-on effect on post-harvest food waste on farms (see Food Forward SA Has Sustainable and Cost-Effective Solution to Address Hunger Crisis, 2021; Blanckenberg et al, 2022; Devin and Richards, 2018). Despite Woolworths (2021) efforts to be a meaningful, responsible and sustainable brand, the researcher argues that Woolworths is unintentionally amoral in its ethical management of stakeholder groups (Carroll, 2021). The findings indicated a need for government regulation that enables retailers such as Woolworths to sell imperfect fruit and vegetables as well as promotes redistribution of surplus food at the harvest level (see Food Forward SA Has Sustainable and Cost-Effective Solution to Address Hunger Crisis, 2021; Blanckenberg et al, 2022; Devin and Richards, 2018). This research paper provides insight into a critical problem which warrants further studies and primary research (WWF, 2018).