Mapping of food waste quantification methodologies in the food services of Swedish municipalities

•A questionnaire and follow-up telephone calls (response rate 93%) provided data.•55% of all Swedish municipalities quantify food waste at central level.•School lunch waste is commonly quantified for two weeks per year.•Municipalities share many similarities, so a common standard is feasible.•A standard for food waste quantification in food services is suggested. Since food waste valorisation measures, like energy recovery, have limited possibilities to fully recover the resources invested in food production, there is a need to prevent food waste. Prevention is most important at the end of the value chain, where most sub-processes have already taken place, like in catering facilities. In Sweden, the public catering sector serves a large number of meals through municipal organisations, including schools, preschools and elderly care homes. Many of these organisations quantify food waste, but since Sweden has 290 municipalities with a high degree of independence, the possible variation is significant. This study therefore investigated how food waste is quantified, in order to help formulate a national standard for food waste quantification. Mapping of food waste quantification practices was conducted using a questionnaire and follow-up telephone calls, achieving a response rate of 93%. Of the 290 Swedish municipalities, 55% replied that they quantify food waste on central level. The most common practice at present is to quantify plate- and serving waste from school lunches during two weeks per year, and to compile waste data in spreadsheets and compare the values against the number of plates used, giving a result in grams per portion served. There are many similarities between municipalities, so there is great potential to implement a common standard that many municipalities already fulfil. This is important in order to gain acceptance and fast implementation, thereby speeding up the process of establishing a benchmark for food waste in the Swedish public sector catering sector.