The aim of this Bachelor´s thesis was to map out possibilities of food waste reduction with help of a new neighborhood social media Nifty Neighbor in Finnish food chain. Nifty Neighbor is a map and location based social service. Finnish registered association Yhteismaa developed it. Yhteismaa is also the commissioner of this Bachelor´s thesis.

The theory includes information i.a. about food waste in general, food waste in the Finnish food chain and environmental impacts of food waste. It also includes global aspects of food waste. It also has an analysis how Nifty Neighbor can help to reduce food waste in households, grocery stores and municipal or public restaurants. The survey of the thesis was divided into two parts. One was sent to 299 Finnish food service managers in municipal restaurants and private staff dining companies. The other one was sent to grocery stores.

The survey for food service managers got 98 answers, with an answer percentage of 32,8 percent. The survey showed that municipal food services have interest in new tools for food waste reduction and they find the subject really important and current. Most of the answerers thought reducing of food waste with help of Nifty Neighbor is a positive thing. Restaurants could inform and sell their left over food portions with the help of the service. Some answerers found that they could reduce food waste with the help of Nifty Neighbor. Seven answerers left their contact details for further discussion. Yhteismaa will contact them later. These potential new users can lead the way and positive experiences can encourage others to join and start using the service to reduce their food waste.

Grocery stores did not find use for Nifty Neighbor in fighting against food waste. Most of the grocery store chains answered by e-mail, and told that they use other methods, e.g. giving food to charities, to reduce their food waste. The survey was also sent to 25 smaller grocery and organic stores, but none of them replied. Perhaps grocery stores will find use for Nifty Neighbor later, when the service is in wider use and it is better known.