Purpose This study investigates the drivers, organisational dynamics and management practices of food waste in a quick commerce (Q-commerce) retailer in Europe. It addresses the lack of empirical research on food waste in Q-commerce, a rapidly expanding but underexplored retail model. Design/methodology/approach A single-case study was conducted at Company Q, a Q-commerce operator in Europe. A mixed-methods approach combined secondary data on waste from five stores over six months with seven semi-structured interviews across Supply Chain, Category Management and Operations. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, while qualitative data were thematically coded using ATLAS.ti. Findings Food waste was primarily driven by inaccurate forecasting, inadequate storage and handling, poor promotional planning and short shelf lives of perishables. These drivers were amplified by Q-commerce's fast-paced model. Additional barriers included key performance indicator (KPI) misalignment across departments and technological limitations. Current measures, namely, discounting, donations and limited cross-departmental coordination, were largely reactive, while employees identified opportunities in AI forecasting, automated discounting, supplier collaboration and KPI integration. Research limitations/implications Findings are based on a single case study. Future research should adopt a multi-case design to validate the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications The study highlights how Q-commerce operators can move from reactive waste mitigation toward preventive strategies. Originality/value This research is among the first empirical analyses of food waste in Q-commerce, extending food waste scholarship into new retail formats and bridging operational theory with managerial practice in sustainable retail management.
Silva et al. (Mon,) studied this question.