Kohustuslike korduvkasutatavate toidunõude süsteemi rakendamise mõju väliüritustel toiduga käitlejatele: tööprotsessid, kulud ja kohandumine regulatiivse nõudega
Laen...
Kuupäev
2025
Kättesaadav alates
29.08.2025
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Eesti Maaülikool
Abstrakt
Ühekordsete plasttoodete keelustamine avalikel üritustel alates 1. jaanuarist 2024 vastavalt Euroopa Liidu direktiivile (EL 2019/904) on toonud kaasa vajaduse muuta toidukäitlejate töökorraldust väliürituste kontekstis. Teema haakub ringmajanduse ja keskkonnasäästliku ressursikasutuse põhimõtetega, kuid senine teaduskirjandus on keskendunud eelkõige jäätmetekke vähendamisele, käsitlemata süvitsi muutusi ettevõtete igapäevastes tegevustes.
Käesoleva töö eesmärk on anda terviklik ülevaade, kuidas regulatiivne surve ja ringmajanduse põhimõtted on mõjutanud väliüritustel tegutsevaid toidukäitlejaid, milliseid korduvkasutatavate nõude süsteeme nad rakendavad, milliseid strateegilisi valikuid nad on teinud ning milliseid tööprotsesside muudatusi süsteemi rakendamine on kaasa toonud. Samuti testiti hüpoteesi, et korduvkasutatavate süsteemide kohustuslik rakendamine suurendab töökoormust ja tegevuskulusid.
Uuring põhineb kvalitatiivsel juhtumiuuringul, mis hõlmas poolstruktureeritud intervjuusid nelja erineva ettevõttega ning kulude võrdlevat analüüsi standardiseeritud tingimustes (7500 portsjonit ja 10-tunnine tööpäev) raamatupidamisandmete põhjal. Teoreetilise raamistiku aluseks olid ringmajanduse, regulatiivse surve ja compliance-teooriad.
Tulemused näitasid, et ettevõtted eelistavad oma juurutatud korduvkasutatava nõude süsteeme, kuna need on soodsam lahendus pikemas perspektiivis ja lihtsamini hallatavad. Rendipõhiste teenuste kasutamist peeti kalliks, paindumatuks ja logistiliselt keerukaks. Selgus, et ühtne regulatiivne nõue ei sobi kõikidele – eriti väiksemad toidukäitlejad tunnetasid kehtivaid nõudeid oma tegevusmahtu arvestades liialt jäigana. Nende hinnangul vajaks regulatsioon rohkem paindlikkust ja arvestust pakutavate toodete eripäradega.
Uurimustöö tulemusi võib käsitleda lisaks sisendina seadusandlike otsuste täiendamiseks, aidates edaspidi kujundada regulatsioone ja toetussüsteeme selliselt, et need arvestaksid paremini ettevõtluskeskkonna tegelike vajaduste ja võimalustega ning võimaldaksid erineva suuruse ja profiiliga ettevõtetel jätkusuutlikult tegutseda.
The ban on single-use plastic products at public events from 1 January 2024, pursuant to the European Union Directive (EU 2019/904), has necessitated changes in food handlers' work processes in the context of outdoor events. The topic is closely linked to the principles of the circular economy and sustainable resource use; however, existing academic literature has primarily focused on waste reduction, without thoroughly addressing the changes in companies' daily operations. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of how regulatory pressure and circular economy principles have influenced food handlers operating at outdoor events, which reusable tableware systems they have implemented, what strategic choices they have made, and what changes in work processes have been required by the implementation of reusable systems. The study also tested the hypothesis that the mandatory implementation of reusable systems increases workload and operating costs. The research is based on a qualitative case study involving semi-structured interviews with four different companies and a comparative cost analysis based on accounting data under standardized conditions (7500 food portions and a 10-hour workday). The theoretical framework relied on the concepts of the circular economy, regulatory pressure, and compliance theories. The results show that companies prefer their self-developed reusable tableware systems, as these offer a more cost-effective and manageable solution in the long term. Rental-based services were considered expensive, inflexible, and logistically complex. It became evident that a uniform regulatory requirement does not suit all businesses—especially smaller food handlers perceived the current regulations as excessively rigid given their operational scale. According to their feedback, the regulations should offer greater flexibility and better account for the specific characteristics of the products offered. The results of the study can also be considered as input for refining legislative decisions, helping to shape regulations and support schemes in the future so that they better take into account the actual needs and capabilities of the business environment and enable companies of different sizes and profiles to operate sustainably.
The ban on single-use plastic products at public events from 1 January 2024, pursuant to the European Union Directive (EU 2019/904), has necessitated changes in food handlers' work processes in the context of outdoor events. The topic is closely linked to the principles of the circular economy and sustainable resource use; however, existing academic literature has primarily focused on waste reduction, without thoroughly addressing the changes in companies' daily operations. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of how regulatory pressure and circular economy principles have influenced food handlers operating at outdoor events, which reusable tableware systems they have implemented, what strategic choices they have made, and what changes in work processes have been required by the implementation of reusable systems. The study also tested the hypothesis that the mandatory implementation of reusable systems increases workload and operating costs. The research is based on a qualitative case study involving semi-structured interviews with four different companies and a comparative cost analysis based on accounting data under standardized conditions (7500 food portions and a 10-hour workday). The theoretical framework relied on the concepts of the circular economy, regulatory pressure, and compliance theories. The results show that companies prefer their self-developed reusable tableware systems, as these offer a more cost-effective and manageable solution in the long term. Rental-based services were considered expensive, inflexible, and logistically complex. It became evident that a uniform regulatory requirement does not suit all businesses—especially smaller food handlers perceived the current regulations as excessively rigid given their operational scale. According to their feedback, the regulations should offer greater flexibility and better account for the specific characteristics of the products offered. The results of the study can also be considered as input for refining legislative decisions, helping to shape regulations and support schemes in the future so that they better take into account the actual needs and capabilities of the business environment and enable companies of different sizes and profiles to operate sustainably.
Kirjeldus
Magistritöö
Ökonoomika ja ettevõtluse õppekava
Märksõnad
ettevõte, protsessimuudatused, ringmajanduslik majandusmudel, regulatiivne surve, magistritööd