The policy–practice nexus: a qualitative inquiry into food waste reduction in the UAE hotel sector

Food waste is a major global sustainability challenge, particularly in the hotel sector, where the nature of hospitality often leads to imbalances between supply, consumption, and utilisation. While the UAE has pledged to cut food waste by half through initiatives like Ne’ma (the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative), there remains limited understanding of food waste practices within the hotel industry. This project aims to explore the nexus between policy and effective food waste reduction in UAE hotels, focusing on how hotel management and staff perceive, interpret, and respond to such policies in practice.

The study adopts an interpretivist philosophy and proposes conducting interviews with 30 hotel management and staff in the UAE. The analysis will be guided by Social Practice Theory to understand institutional and behavioural dynamics that shape food waste management in hospitality settings.

The research objectives include investigating operational challenges in managing food waste in hotels and uncovering gaps between policy intent and actual practices. Additionally, the study seeks to explore how hotel staff interpret, adapt to, or potentially resist food waste reduction measures. Insights from this research aim to offer ground-up recommendations for more effective and contextually relevant food waste policy.

By addressing a significant gap in literature and empirical research within the UAE and Middle East context, this study contributes to advancing sustainability in the hospitality sector. Its findings can support the development of targeted policy strategies with greater effectiveness at both the sectoral and national levels.