Source: Karlstad University To tackle the issue of food waste, everyone — from government agencies to citizens — has a role to play. And the retail industry is not exempt despite wasting less food than goes wasted in households. As such, researchers from Karlstad University have conducted a study to determine what foods account for those wasted most by retailers.

Analyzing the fruit and vegetable waste of three large retailers, researchers focused on not only the wasted natural resources but on the financial losses as well. The research team examined retail waste in terms of quantity, cost and environmental impact.

In the fruit and vegetable category, researchers concluded that bananas, apples, tomatoes, salad, sweet peppers, pears and grapes were the foods wasted most, accounting for (when combined) nearly 50 percent of what food waste cost retailers.

Now that the culprit fruits and vegetables have been identified, researchers believe the amount of waste can be decreased.

"Retailers may profit by allocating more staff hours to measures that lead to reduced fruit and vegetable waste, thereby saving money and the environment," says Lisa Mattsson at Karlstad University.

The study is published in the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling.