Reducing Household Food Waste
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Household food waste is often seen as a consumer problem, but this brief reveals why this view is incomplete. Policies must support coordinated action across households, retailers, and policymakers to co-create community-driven solutions that reduce food waste effectively at scale.
Who should read this brief?
This brief is intended for local authorities, housing associations, retailers, and community organisations working to reduce food waste. It offers system-level recommendations, highlighting that household food waste isn’t just a consumer problem — it’s shaped by the wider systems, including housing design, retail practices, and community infrastructure.
Household food waste is not just a consumer issue — it is a system-level problem shaped by retail practices, housing design, infrastructure, and everyday routines. Therefore, food waste reduction policies must prioritise co-created solutions with relevant stakeholders, including consumers, retailers, local councils, and community organisations, to ensure interventions are practical and grounded in daily life.— Dr Sayed Elhoushy
About the researchers
Dr Sayed Elhoushy
Dr. Sayed Elhoushy (PhD, BSc, MSc, MRes, FHEA) is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Marketing at Queen Mary University of London’s School of Business and Management. He holds a PhD in Management-Business Economics from Ca' Foscari University of Venice, along with an MSc in Hospitality Management, and an MRes in Management.
Before joining Queen Mary, Sayed held teaching and visiting positions at several institutions, including SHTM, University of Surrey; Alexandria University; and FEP, University of Porto. He has industry experience in sales and marketing within the service sector and has provided consultancy for both businesses and NGOs.
His research focuses on the intersection of sustainability, marketing, and technology, exploring how technology adoption influences sustainable consumer behaviors and customer journeys. He investigates ways to motivate, facilitate, and maintain sustainable consumer practices related to second-hand marketplaces and food waste.
Sayed’s publications appear in international, peer reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Consumer Studies, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, International Journal of Hospitality Management and Journal of Sustainable Tourism, among others. He collaborates with scholars from Purdue University, University of Surrey, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and German University of Technology.
Be the next author
Are you an academic at Queen Mary and want to share your research insights in a brief? Email Evie Edwards, Impact Engagement Officer, evie.edwards@qmul.ac.uk