Using creative problem-solving approach and photo voice technique, we conducted focus group discussions with 28 primary school children in the UK. To explore children’s understanding of food waste and facilitate the creative problem-solving approach, a school lunch-time scenario was developed, with the support of the primary school teachers, to ensure that it was applicable to children in their school setting. The twenty-eight children were placed into four groups of approximately seven children. Each FGD group lasted around an average of 45 minutes in length. The FGDs were facilitated by one of the authors, who have obtained valid DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check prior to the interviews.
At the end of the first FGDs, each child was given a disposable camera with 28 films to take home. The authors encouraged the children to take photos of food waste problems and solutions that they noticed over the next two weeks, both at school and at home. The children were also informed that the subsequent FGDs would be centred on their photos. Children were asked to return their cameras after two weeks and their films were developed into prints by the research team, ready for the second FGDs.
The second FGDs were centred on the discussion of the photos in relation to emotion and moved onto the identification of behavioural controls from the children’s perspective that could help prevent food waste. Children were given their picture prints and told to select three of their favourite photos to share with the group.