03/12/2025
As part of our ongoing efforts to understand the social dimensions of food loss, the FOLOU partners are developing a new methodological framework influenced by the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) approach. While the social impacts of food loss have often been overlooked, our goal is to develop a standardized framework to effectively identify and measure these impacts.
In the FOLOU project, we have identified various drivers of food loss that may contribute to social impacts. While these causal relationships can be complex, such as how climate hazards influence farm management and labour demand or the market pressures in farmers’ income and resources management, the drivers can help us to identify the social topics most closely connected to food loss.
To support this framework, we conducted a literature review of existing research on food loss and S-LCA methodologies, resulting in a list of potential social impacts. This foundational work led to the development of specific indicators tailored for the FOLOU S-LCA framework.
Building the FOLOU framework has been a collaborative process from the start. First, we worked with FOLOU consortium partners from each case study to validate the initial list of drivers. Then, we expanded the discussion by engaging external experts in a participatory workshop with 25 S-LCA experts from over ten countries, including leading universities and research centres. This workshop aimed to gather feedback on the robustness and applicability of our indicators across diverse European agricultural contexts. Participants evaluated our methodological framework, sharing valuable insights on its relevance to local conditions and direct connections to food loss.
Preliminary findings show that the indicators most valued by stakeholders reflect pressing concerns: food security stood out for the society group, while farmers emphasized efficiency loss and income decline. In addition, local communities highlighted the need for indicators addressing environmental management, and workers pointed to job insecurity as a critical issue.
The workshop underscored the importance of incorporating context-specific considerations when assessing the social impacts of food loss, as well as the necessity to differentiate between direct and indirect effects.
Looking ahead, our next steps involve refining these indicators based on expert feedback and initiating the inventory collection process for the S-LCA. We will also align our work with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and integrate insights from environmental and economic analyses. We look forward to the anticipated progress in the coming months as we work towards a better understanding of the social impacts of food loss.
Stay tuned for further updates on this important initiative!
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program, under Grant Agreement: 101084106. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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