Environmental profile, packaging intensity and food waste generation for three types of dinner meals

This study was carried out as part of the packaging optimization program in Norway, and the purpose was to study waste generation, energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG)-emissions from the whole product value chain of meals prepared from fresh ingredients at home, based in semi-prepared ingredients or as ready to eat meals. Consumer attitudes to ready to eat meals was also included in the study. The study was done with basis in Life Cycle Assessment methodologies and Material Flow Analyses, based in real cooking situations and experimental design. Portion sizes and left-overs from cooking and eating data are based in the experimental design. Food waste data from the retail sector is based in the Norwegian statistics from the ForMat project, whereas packaging data was measured from the used products. The consumer study was done through a standard web panel with 1000 respondents, with respondents representative for the Norwegian population. Reallocation of impacts from wasting of food to the place waste is generated has been applied combined with conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods.