Food Waste in the Hospitality and Hotel Industry

Abstract

Food waste is a major global challenge, accounting for nearly one-third of all food produced and contribut ing about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions (FAO, 2019; Alsuwaidi et al., 2022). The hospitality sector is a significant contributor, with much of its waste avoidable, driven by guest behaviours, cultural tendencies, and operational inefficiencies such as overproduction and buffet concepts (Dolnicar et al., 2020; Okumus et al., 2020). In Czechia, despite growing awareness of sustainability, environ mental measures in hotels and restaurants remain limited, highlighting a gap in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Scholz et al., 2024; United Nations, 2015). Effective strategies exist from nudges and education to food redistribution, but practical implementation is often hindered by managerial and structural barriers (Chawla et al., 2020; Reynolds et al., 2020). This study examines both accommodation providers' practices and customers' perceptions of sustainable gastronomy to identify drivers, barriers, and motivators for reducing food waste.