Drivers of food waste generation: Case study of island-based hotels in Langkawi, Malaysia

Food waste (FW) generation from hotel operations have a significant negative impact on the environment, society and economy. Hence, the urgent need to introduce sustainable food management to reduce both FW and operational costs in hotels. The aim of this paper is to identify the drivers of FW generation and barriers to sustainable food waste management (SFWM) in island based hotels. The data were collected using in-depth interview coupled with the observations conducted at 23 selected hoteliers in Langkawi Island, Malaysia. Based on the analysis, using qualitative content analysis (QCA), eight FW drivers were identified and the drivers were classified into three categories of factors, mainly internal, external and intermediate influence. There are four FW drivers identified as internal factors that influenced the implementation of food waste management namely (1) poor hotel management and policies, (2) lack of skills in food preparation, (3) lack of facilities and FW technology and (4) non-implementation of waste audit and waste separation. For external factors, there are two FW drivers, including (5) unsustainable food consumption patterns of the customers and (6) risk of food ingredients spoilage. As for intermediate factors, two FW drivers were identified, which are (7) ineffective communication and (8) inadequate education and awareness. Findings from this study contribute towards a better understanding on the complexity of FW issues, particularly for island-based hotel sector. It was also suggested that a holistic approach with multi-stakeholders is crucial to reduce food wastage towards achieving SFWM.