Abstract

Food waste and food insecurity represent two of the most enduring and paradoxical challenges facing humanity today. On one hand, nearly 17% of all food produced globally goes to waste each year, resulting not only in substantial economic losses but also in considerable environmental harm due to greenhouse gas emissions from production, transport, and disposal. On the other hand, more than 350 million people worldwide suffer from severe food insecurity, a crisis that has deepened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bridging this troubling divide, Food Sharing Platforms (FSPs) have emerged as digital intermediaries that facilitate the redistribution of surplus food from businesses and individuals to those in need.