Wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Milan: Turning food surpluses into environmental gains

Food redistribution is increasingly recognized as a key strategy for tackling food waste and improving food security. However, a comprehensive assessment of its environmental impacts remains a challenge. This study fills this gap by investigating the role of food redistribution in minimizing waste, reducing production pressures, and mitigating the environmental impacts of the agri-food chain. In particular, this research focuses on mapping the flow of recovered food within the Ortomercato system, Italy’s largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market, by third sector associations. A comprehensive cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment was conducted to quantify the recovered fruit and vegetable products, assess their environmental impact, and estimate the associated environmental credits through the prevention of food waste. The findings indicate that the production phase has the largest environmental impact, accounting on average for 63% of the total impact. The study employs a net balance approach to demonstrate the success of food re- covery efforts, which have saved over 136 tonnes of food from the market over a 49-day period and generated environmental credits equivalent to 169 tonnes of CO2 eq. per year. These results highlight the environmental impact of food redistribution and provide insights for operational optimization and the establishment of an environmental budget for the system. Furthermore, the potential for regulating these environmental credits and promoting the benefits of food redistribution through public channels is highlighted. While the research addresses the mapping of food flows and their environmental impacts, there is a significant gap in the assessment of the socio-economic impacts associated with food redistribution. Further research is needed to understand how this practice affects local communities, economies and social dynamics, and to contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of its effectiveness.