Reducing potential retail food waste through a data-driven dynamic shelf life approach: Insights from consumer engagement
Junzhang Wu, Yifeng Zou, Zongyu Chen, Li Xue, Alessandro Manzardo
Abstract
• Real-time dynamic shelf-life systems evaluated for food waste reduction and satisfaction. • High-accuracy systems excel in low-temperature zones but face challenges in higher heat. • Enhanced TTI resolution effectively reduces waste, with diminishing returns beyond 18 colors. • Hybrid strategies combining smart sensors and TTIs optimize cost-efficiency and precision. • Provides actionable insights for sustainable food supply chains under varying conditions. Dynamic shelf-life (DSL) systems that leverage real-time environmental monitoring represent a transformative innovation in reducing retail food waste while enhancing consumer engagement. This study critically examines the performance of three DSL information-sharing modes: a non-sharing model, a low-accuracy Time-Temperature Indicator (TTI)-based sharing model, and a high-accuracy smart sensor-based sharing model. Through a MATLAB-simulated framework incorporating 27 diverse food quality scenarios, we comprehensively evaluated trade-offs across key metrics, including shelf-life preservation, food waste reduction, and customer demand satisfaction. The results reveal that while information-sharing significantly reduces food waste in low-temperature zones, it paradoxically increases waste in medium- and high-temperature conditions, where spoilage rates are accelerated. High-accuracy systems consistently outperform other modes in extending shelf life and satisfying customer demand, particularly for highly perishable goods, though their efficacy diminishes in suboptimal temperature environments. Furthermore, increasing the resolution of TTI-based indicators demonstrates potential in reducing food waste, yet with diminishing returns beyond a certain threshold. These findings emphasize the necessity of hybrid solutions that integrate cost-efficiency and precision, enabling retailers to tailor strategies to specific temperature zones and operational contexts. This research offers practical and evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and retailers, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and efficient food supply chain management practices.