Research
projects
Socio-environmental
interactions
Implementation of a pilot project aimed at preventing food waste and reducing the use of single-use plastics in schools
Principal researcher: Ana Giménez
Funding: Ministry of Environment
Period: 2026-2027
The aim of the project is to contribute to the design of an institutional strategy to promote and implement concrete actions to prevent and reduce food waste and the use of single-use plastics in schools. This will be achieved through the development of pilot experiences in four schools selected by the National Public Education Administration (Administración Nacional de Educación Pública, ANEP) and the systematization of lessons learned from these experiences. The project adopts a case study approach. Four primary schools will be selected, representing different modalities of the School Feeding Programme. Diagnostic information will be collected from the different stakeholders at each school using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. An on-site observation will be conducted at each school to characterize the dining facilities and their operation, as well as the situations in which single-use plastics are used. In addition, food waste generated in the dining area of each school will be quantified. The educational community’s perceptions of food waste and the use of single-use plastics will be explored qualitatively through interviews with school management teams, teaching staff, kitchen staff, and children. The information collected will serve as the basis for co-creation workshops aimed at identifying strategies to reduce food waste and the use of single-use plastics.
A first glance at food waste in the food service sector: Contributions to the development of a national strategy
Principal researcher: Ana Giménez
Funding: CSIC, Udelar
Period: 2025-2027
Reducing the environmental, economic, and social impacts of food loss and waste is a key global priority, particularly within the framework of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Reducing food loss and waste is central to the transition toward sustainable food systems. Although Uruguay has begun to address this issue, the available data remain limited, unreliable, and largely focused on household food waste, leaving a significant knowledge gap regarding food waste in the food service sector. Global estimates indicate that this sector accounts for approximately 26% of total food waste, with the restaurant sector representing a priority subsector. Within this context, the aim of this project is to develop a quantification tool to conduct a first assessment of food waste in food service establishments in the Department of Montevideo. The project will identify patterns and trends in food waste, as well as explore the main factors contributing to its generation. A mixed-methods approach will be adopted, beginning with a diagnostic phase involving a representative sample of food service establishments in the Department of Montevideo. Food waste will then be quantified in a subsample of establishments using the newly developed tool, enabling an estimate of food waste across the sector as a whole. Subsequently, in-depth interviews will be conducted with key informants, and self-reported food waste will be compared with the estimates obtained using the proposed quantification methodology. Based on these findings, strategies to reduce food waste in the sector will be designed through a co-creation approach. Finally, the feasibility and potential impact of these strategies will be evaluated. The project’s findings will contribute to the development of a national strategy to address food waste more effectively.
Co-creating strategies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and reduce food waste in Uruguay
Principal researcher: Gastón Ares
Funding: INIA FPTA
Period: 2024-2027
Fruits and vegetables are a fundamental component of a healthy diet. Their consumption has been associated with a lower risk of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease and several types of cancer, as well as reduced overall mortality. However, consumption of these food groups in Uruguay remains below nutritional recommendations. At the same time, available evidence indicates that fruits and vegetables are the food groups that contribute most to food loss and waste, both during production and retail and at the household level. Against this backdrop, the aim of this project is to generate knowledge on the perceptions and behaviours of Uruguayan consumers to inform the design of marketing and communication strategies that increase fruit and vegetable consumption while reducing food waste in the country. Adopting a participatory research approach, the project places Uruguayan consumers at its core, involving them in all research activities to obtain direct insights into how their behaviour can be changed. A mixed-methods, multi-method approach is proposed, combining a range of quantitative and qualitative techniques that will be used in continuous dialogue. This research design makes it possible to address the complexity of consumer behaviour related to fruit and vegetable consumption and food waste. The project has the potential to benefit Uruguayan society as a whole by generating short-, medium-, and long-term impacts for consumers, food policy decision-makers, producers, retail food businesses, and other actors across the food value chain, while also strengthening research capacity within the academic sector.
Cost structure of healthy foods considering their environmental impact: A case study in Uruguay
Principal researcher: Alejandra Girona
Funding: FAO
Period: 2024-2025
The overall objective of this project is to conduct a case study to analyze the cost structure and environmental impact of the production, distribution, and commercialization of a healthy food item in Uruguay. To achieve this objective, the project will pursue the following specific aims: (i) to examine the cost structure of a healthy food item in Uruguay, and (ii) to assess the environmental impact associated with its production and commercialization. A Value Chain Analysis (VCA) will be used to estimate the cost structure of the production and commercialization of the selected food item, while Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be employed to estimate its environmental impact. The project will provide a comprehensive understanding of both the cost structure and the environmental impact associated with the production and commercialization of a healthy food item in Uruguay. It is expected to identify the main factors affecting the sector’s profitability, including the direct and indirect costs associated with each stage of the value chain. In addition, the application of LCA will quantify key environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water footprint, and natural resource use. The findings will help identify strategies to optimize costs and improve efficiency throughout the value chain under the selected production and commercialization configurations, while also informing strategies to mitigate environmental impacts.
Identification and evaluation of strategies to reduce food loss and waste at the household and retail Levels
Principal researcher: Ana Giménez
Funding: CSIC, Udelar
Period: 2019-2021
Food loss and waste has become an issue of growing global concern due to its environmental, economic, and social implications. Increasing challenges related to climate change and the need to eradicate food insecurity worldwide underscore the importance of developing strategies to reduce food waste and promote a more efficient use of natural resources. According to various estimates, approximately one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted along the agri-food supply chain. Although the distribution of food loss and waste varies across countries, consumer behavior during food purchasing and consumption plays a major role, both directly and indirectly through its influence on the food supply chain. Understanding consumer behavior and perceptions can therefore contribute to the development of effective solutions to this problem. Within this context, the aim of this project is to identify and evaluate strategies to reduce food waste at the household and retail levels. A mixed-methods approach will be used to identify the causes of household food waste, as well as to examine consumers’ motivations and the strategies they use to reduce waste. Interviews will be conducted with managers of supermarkets and retail food stores to identify the main causes of food waste and assess the feasibility of implementing waste reduction strategies that have been successfully adopted internationally. Once feasible strategies for reducing waste in both fresh and processed foods have been identified, consumer experiments will be conducted to evaluate their potential effectiveness. The project’s findings will provide evidence to support initiatives aimed at reducing food waste in the final stages of Uruguay’s agri-food supply chain.