Sustainable Development Goals: a review of SDG 12.3 in food supply chain literature

Purpose Food Loss and Waste (FLW), a result of non-sustainable consumption and production, has significant socio-environmental impacts and is addressed in the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3. To address current research on FLW and SDG 12.3, the authors aim to evidence the current state of knowledge on drivers and barriers to SDG 12.3 through a comprehensive literature review. Design/methodology/approach The authors employed a multi-step systematic literature review process and retrieved 171 studies addressing SDGs, with 83 explicitly addressing SDG 12.3. The analysis involved a qualitative content analysis of studies retrieved by analyzing key findings and relationships between drivers and barriers to FLW. Findings While academic research focuses on SDG 12.3 by stressing the necessity of FLW reduction, it fails to explain the drivers and barriers to minimizing FLW. The authors developed a conceptual framework to demonstrate how barriers and drivers can inhibit or stimulate the dynamics that will achieve SDG 12.3 through effective planning and management. Research limitations/implications This study addressed the theoretical limitations of existing studies and clarified the critical gaps in the current literature, thereby guiding future researchers in the food supply chain (FSC) context. Originality/value The research to date focused on high-income countries, and future empirical studies should focus on consumption patterns, the associated drivers and barriers of food waste in low-income countries and its social impact.