Thank you for your interesting contribution and the list of FLW determinants.
Among the examples you cite, the price of food can play a very important role in determining the amount of food waste at consumers’ level. The example you cite from Tamil Nadu is siginificative.
FLW is indeed a complex issue that depends on a number of causes ranging from biological, microbial, chemical, biochemical, mechanical, physical, physiological, technological, logistical, organizational, psychological and behavioural ones – including those induced by marketing, etc. The importance of these factors vary greatly according to the produce and the context, and the stage of the food chain considered (see for example the HLPE report http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3901e.pdf for reference). Aim of the Code of Conduct is to provide a benchmark and framework against which countries can develop strategies, policies, institutions, legislation and programmes and to provide a set of global, locally adaptable voluntary practices that different stakeholders directly or indirectly involved with FLW might adopt.
Thank you for your contribution! As you mention, the involvement of all actors in the fight against FLW is pivotal and market-based instruments like taxes can be among the effective instruments to reduce FLW.
Dr. Silvia Gaiani