BMP5017 Business Management Assignment: Food Waste at Ibis

Introduction and Background of the Organisation
 

The Ibis brand of Accor is a value-led mid-budget chain of hotels with a global presence, providing regular and standardised accommodation and services, of which breakfast is one of the offerings made to guests in these hotels (Accor, 2025a).  Accor has integrated sustainability promises into its brands and in its Planet 21 programme and eco-certification initiatives, where it has focused on minimising waste and responsible sourcing (Accor, 2025b). 
 

The mini-research project is placed in the breakfast department at Ibis Cambridge Central Station in which the placement position entailed the food preparation, buffet service, preparation and replenishment and guest services and clean-up duties typically between 06:00 and 10:00. According to the placement log, stock rotation, and the end of service clearing are the regular team tasks which is the focus of both the cost control and hygiene. The position was a first-hand experience of day-to-day decision points that influence the portions and replenishment practice.
 

The breakfast service in economy hotels has large volumes operating at narrow margins; this poses a strain between the variety in the guest expectations and the food costs and impact on the environment. WRAP notes that food waste in the hospitality and food service sector represents a high commercial cost to the industry and contributes a substantial proportion of UK food waste, underlining the economic and environmental case for improved practice (WRAP, 2025a). 
 

Common operational drivers of breakfast waste include overproduction, imprecise demand forecasting and guest plate waste; these factors increase cost, raise carbon footprint and can reduce guest satisfaction when service or availability is affected. As such, this study investigates how food waste can be reduced while maintaining or improving customer experience in the breakfast operations of Ibis Cambridge Central Station.

 

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Research Aim and Objectives
 

Research Aim
 

The aim of this research is to investigate how breakfast operations at Ibis Cambridge Central Station can reduce food waste while improving customer experience through practical operational changes and increased staff engagement.
 

Research Objectives
 

This project sets six objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. 
 

1. To identify and quantify the main sources of food waste in the breakfast operation by using daily waste logs, observation and photographic records across a four-week period. 
    

2. To evaluate current breakfast service practices and operational efficiency by mapping activities, timing replenishment events and reviewing stock control and portioning rules. 
    

3. To analyse staff perceptions of waste, workload and service quality using the completed survey dataset and six semi-structured interviews. 
    

4. To examine customer experience factors that are linked to breakfast service quality using feedback forms and a small sample of online reviews. 
    

5. To assess how current practices align with Accor's sustainability expectations and UK sector guidance. 
    

6. To develop practical evidence-based recommendations and a short trial plan that can be implemented and reviewed locally.
    

Research Questions

 

The research will answer a set of focused questions which are linked to the objectives. 

 

1. What are the main contributors to food waste during breakfast service at this hotel? 
    

2. How well do preparation and forecasting routines match actual guest demand?
    

3. How do staff workload, training and routines influence waste outcomes and service quality?
    

4. Which operational changes to portioning replenishment layout or communication can reduce waste while maintaining or improving guest satisfaction? 
    

5. How can the breakfast department measure outcomes and sustain improvement over time?

 

Rationale and theoretical linkage
 

Ibis operates standardised high-volume breakfast services which aim to provide a consistent guest experience, but which can generate overproduction and buffet-related waste (Ibis, 2025a). Accor has an established sustainability programme which supports local waste reduction initiatives and responsible sourcing at the property level (Accor, 2025b).  Evidence for the UK sector highlights that food waste imposes a measurable commercial cost and environmental impact, and therefore, operational research at the breakfast service level is justified and timely (WRAP, 2025a). 
 

SMART framing and measures
 

Each objective is operationalised with a clear metric and a deadline that fits the placement schedule. Waste will be measured in kilograms per day and categorised by food type and cause. Operational efficiency will be assessed by task timing and refill event counts during morning shifts. Staff perceptions will be analysed by thematic coding and frequency counts. Customer experience will be measured by aggregated feedback scores and by illustrative comments. The final recommendations will be piloted in a short trial and judged by changes in waste totals and customer feedback.
 

Ethical and practical considerations
 

All participants will provide informed consent, and interviews and surveys will be anonymised. Personal identifiers will not be recorded, and data will be stored securely in line with UK data protection principles. The plan is designed to be practicable within scheduled shifts and to produce evidence that is directly usable by the breakfast team.
 

Summary
 

The defined aim, objectives and questions create a focused plan that links operational theory to measurable practice and that will deliver evidence-based recommendations to reduce food waste while protecting guest experience at Ibis Cambridge Central Station.
 

Industry relevance and expected outputs
 

Reducing food waste within breakfast service has clear commercial and environmental value for hotel operations. WRAP reports that food waste costs the hospitality and food service sector about three point two billion pounds per year, which demonstrates a strong financial incentive for action (WRAP, 2025a). UK summaries of food waste provide detailed data on avoidable waste and common waste streams, which will be used to contextualise local findings (WRAP, 2025b). The project will deliver a concise four-week waste log summary, a short operational checklist, and a set of trial recommendations that the breakfast team can implement and evaluate against waste logs and guest feedback. Outputs will follow trial feedback.

 

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Justification of Research Value and Methodology
 

This study addresses a pressing operational issue for Ibis Cambridge Central Station by linking food waste reduction to improved guest experience and cost control. Rising food prices and supply volatility increase the financial impact of avoidable waste while sector expectations for sustainable practice raise reputational stakes for properties (Office for National Statistics, 2025a). Reducing waste at breakfast is strategically important because breakfast is a routine, high-volume service where small changes can meaningfully reduce kilograms of waste per service and lower direct food costs. In the UK, the empirical data present evidence that hospitality and food service food waste is a quantifiable commercial and environmental cost and burden, a fact that is relevant in terms of the focused interventions at the property level (WRAP, 2025b). The sustainability programme of Accor offers an outline that allows addressing property-level action and practical interventions like waste tracking and guest nudges (Accor, 2025b). The harmonisation of local suggestions and corporate commitments enhances practicability and management buy- in (Horsley and Hunt, 2024). 
 

Research Design
 

The study follows a pragmatic mixed design of research involving a combination of both numerical measurements and contextual interpretation. As quantitative measures, daily waste logs (by weight type, cause and avoidability, and refill events and batch sizes) will be used. Measures of human factors such as workload, training, perceived management support, and job satisfaction will be obtained using the current Google Form records of more than forty responses. Qualitative techniques include six semi-structured interviews with the breakfast team employees and systematic observation of service processes in order to establish causal processes like time pressure, communication failure, and inappropriate portioning.
 

Primary Research Methods
 

Primary data collection will be undertaken according to the laid-down placement schedule and work, which will include morning setup work, replenishment work, guest service work, and the work of closing as laid down in the placement form. The breakfast team will keep daily waste logs, and the researcher will cross-verify the logs. Gross quantity kilograms per category of food, and a brief note of the reason, e.g. overproduction, plate waste or spoilage, will be recorded. A four-week window captures weekday and weekend variation and balances rigour with the time available during placement.
 

The Google Form survey offers a human factors dataset that includes staff from multiple roles and contract types. Analysis will use descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations to explore variation by role shift and tenure. Interviews will be semi-structured and recorded with consent, then transcribed and coded using thematic analysis to surface actionable themes such as training gaps, monitoring weak spots and feasible procedural changes.
 

Triangulation across logs, survey interviews, and observation will increase trustworthiness (Tracy, 2024).  Quantitative findings will be presented as daily averages, trend charts and simple performance indicators such as kilograms avoidable waste per service. These metrics will be linked to qualitative summaries and anonymised quotes that explain why patterns occur. UK sector guidance on reducing waste recommends measuring and setting targets, which this study mirrors at the property level (UK Hospitality, 2025a). 
 

Secondary data and literature

Secondary evidence used to situate the study comes from official sources such as IBIS and Accor official websites and from recent peer-reviewed literature accessible through Google Scholar. These sources were used to set the UK market context and to triangulate primary findings with contemporary academic insights. 
 

Ethical Considerations
 

Ethical safeguards are central to the design. The Google Form also contains a clear statement of consent, and the respondents will indicate consent in advance. Interviews will be anonymous and voluntary, and they will be conducted with an audio recording, which will be saved in a secure place. Personal identifiers will be eliminated before analysis, and only the aggregated results will be provided to the placement host. Data management is in accordance with the UK data protection principles, and the placement paperwork will confirm the host's permission for site-level research.
 

There are also some limitations, such as low generalisability through purposive sampling and a limited collection window (Tajik et al., 2025). The study records processes in order to alleviate them, and uses triangulation to enhance internal validity. The outputs are going to be realistic and light and will consist of a four-week waste overview, a brief operation checklist, and a pilot plan to allow the breakfast team to test the changes and evaluate the effect by the same waste indicators and the feedback of the guests.
 

Overall, the research will integrate operational action and employee insight to generate practical, low-cost ideas that support the sustainability goals of Accor and the industry expectations in the UK (Accor, 2025b). Results obtained will provide the property with an evidence-based path to decrease unnecessary waste in breakfast without compromising or losing guest experience.
 

It is anticipated that it will reduce food expenditure, enhance the satisfaction of the guests by ensuring that items are available and presented in a better way and help to increase the ownership of the staff when they participate in trials. The measurement of the initial effect and simple adjustments will be monitored on a daily basis through waste checks and weekly reviews. The trial plan will be presented in the final report, which will have targets and a small-scale timeline that would fit the placement schedule and measurement.

 

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Primary and Secondary Research Findings
 

Primary Research Findings

Results:

Questionnaire for Staff

 

 

Interviews for Breakfast Department

 

 

Staff Profile and Employment Characteristics

Primary research will be based on two data sources collected in the course of the placement, i.e. a staff survey filled in by hotel workers and six semi-structured interviews with members of the breakfast team. The integrated data gives a distinct picture of personnel positions, types of contracts and perceptions, as well as gives concrete, operational data about the preparation of breakfast, replenishment and waste. The response figures indicated by the charts in the survey indicate mixed tenure among employees, with a high proportion of the respondents working on a part-time basis or zero hours and the response indicates a spread of experience level across the breakfast and general hotel teams.
 

The implications on profiles and contracts are noteworthy since inconsistencies and training coverage depend on the variations in the number of hours and the type of employment. The survey reveals that there is a significant proportion of non-full-time contracts, and interviewees disclosed that the people on shorter or irregular shifts are unable to receive refresher briefs and on-job assignments. This profile of mixed staff can be used to explain inconsistent portioning practices and inconsistent levels of compliance with stock rotation and hygiene activities that cause unnecessary wastage.
 

Staff Profile and Employment Characteristics

 

These operational problems are aggravated by motivation and workload findings. According to the survey results, less than half of the employees feel energetic and motivated throughout the shifts, and 27.5% report that the workload is sometimes overwhelming. The respondents of the interview associated peak demand and low staffing with the necessity to prioritise speed and neglect waste control. As the number of guests soars, employees are preoccupied with ensuring that items are kept on hand instead of reducing leftovers, which promotes buffet leftovers and production in hot food joints.
 

 

Training and Operational Support
 

As an apparent weakness, training and support are introduced. About 55% of the respondents indicated that they were well trained, and 30% indicated they were also not well trained. This trend can be supported by interview data; some employees reported that training was basic or one-off and asked to be given uncomplicated, repeatable instructions like portion templates and short refresher courses. The empirical implication is imbalanced portion control, irregular stock turnover and poor management of near-expired foods, which leads to more spoilage.

 

Staff Perceptions of Management and Workplace Culture
 

The attitude of the staff towards management is both varied and directly related to the service quality and culture of waste. Most interviewees talked about managers as friendly, although fewer said that they are regularly rewarded based on good performance, and a few also said that there is less managerial engagement in the daily monitoring of waste. Moderate levels of workplace pride are demonstrated in survey charts, but less clarity is evident regarding recognition and development support. In the case of low recognition, there is less discretionary effort to embrace more waste minimisation practices.
 

Staff Suggestions and Operational Insights
 

The interviews introduce operational proposals that are consistent with survey indicators. Proposed by the staff are staggered batch cooking, fewer initial production runs, smaller refills, more frequent refills and a visible daily waste log calculated in kilograms. They also recommended short visual portion guides and clearer signage to discourage overfilling plates. Interviewees judged daily logging feasible within existing handover routines and believed regular feedback would increase ownership.
 

Measurement readiness and implementation detail were positive. Staff expressed willingness to record daily discarded quantities by category and suggested that a simple chart on the service desk would make the logging routine. The survey consent levels and response rates indicate engagement and support for improvement activities. Staff suggested a four-week trial to capture weekday and weekend variation and compare kilograms disposed of by type before the changes were made to the processes.

 

Summary of Primary Findings
 

There are direct operational implications of portion control and stock rotation. Interviewees listed pastries and hot-cooked food as being susceptible to overproduction; foods are cooked early in the day, and sometimes have to be disposed of when demand is not as high as it was predicted. The windows of production staggering and portion templates would decrease excess. Routines that encourage small, more frequent top-ups during replenishment would also reduce the quantities left over, and popular items would be retained.
 

Staff views were based on customer experience issues. This aspect was emphasised by a number of interviewees who emphasised that waste minimisation should not imply noticeable deficits that damage satisfaction. Employees suggested a prominent display of what constitutes stage refills and a brief message to be used with clients when products are out of stock. This is a way of balancing the reduction of waste with transparency and is more likely to maintain perceptions of choice among guests.
 

Limitations of the primary dataset
 

Limitations are recognised. The survey data are perceptions-based, and interviews are operational perceptions as opposed to measured amounts of waste. However, the triangulation of patterns of surveys and interviews enhances confidence in central themes. The main data points out that the main causes of the waste of breakfast at the Ibis Cambridge Central Station are uncertainty in forecasting, lack of consistent training in working in different types of contracts and the pressure of peak time pressures in the working schedule. Pilots to be tested during the placement period are feasible and created by staff as part of the solutions to the problem identified in interviews, and involve low costs.
 

Overall, the primary data can lead to a consistent operational diagnosis and an effective way to improve. Three priority actions are identified regarding a pilot: introduce daily waste logging, introduce staggered batch cooking with shorter initial runs and take smaller recurring portion control refreshers of all contract types. They are based on the recommendations of the staff and follow a practical course of action to minimise unnecessary waste on breakfast without sacrificing the level of satisfaction among the guests.
 

Secondary Research Findings
 

Secondary literature confirms that food waste in the UK hospitality and food service sector is both a measurable economic burden and an environmental challenge. WRAP estimates that the sector is responsible for a substantial share of national food waste and highlights avoidable waste in preparation and on guest plates as priority areas for reduction (WRAP, 2025b). 
 

Multiple reviews identify characteristic drivers of waste in hotel breakfast services, notably overproduction caused by uncertain guest numbers and buffet-style layouts that encourage excess selection and plate leftovers. Empirical studies of hotel breakfast buffets find that pastries and hot items are frequently wasted because they are produced in batches early in service and then remain uneaten when demand is lower than forecast (Monforte, 2025). 
 

Cost implications are significant for operators with tight food cost targets (Dopson and Hayes, 2019). WRAP and other sector summaries link avoidable waste to direct financial loss and to wider carbon emissions embodied in food production and disposal, which creates both commercial incentive and corporate responsibility to act (WRAP, 2025c). Quantifying waste in kilograms and attributing causes is recommended as the first step for properties seeking to reduce waste and improve margins (Jensen, 2017). 
 

The literature on consumer behaviour justifies the fact that buffet formats are especially susceptible to waste. Visitors appreciate diversity and instant access, which makes them choose several dishes and overload their plates. Nudges in psychology, like the use of smaller plate sizes, simulated replenishment and informative labels, can diminish the amount of items chosen and not consumed but still maintain the impression of choice. Research and industry manuals indicate that operational adjustments and guest-facing communication can be used together without negatively affecting the satisfaction levels of the plate waste (Singh et al., 2024). 
 

The service quality theory is useful in explaining the expectations of the guests and the trade-off between waste reduction and perceived service. The SERVQUAL model defines five aspects of service quality, such as tangibles and responsiveness, which can be influenced by alterations in breakfast arrangement and replenishment schedules (Nguyen et al., 2018). The application of a gaps model perspective indicates that the changes in operations should be made without sacrificing reliability and without making the changes visible to the guests, in case the latter satisfaction can be maintained or enhanced.
 

Industry and corporate guidance reinforce the need for measurable targets and property-level action. Accor documents its sustainable hospitality agenda and case studies showing how Planet 21 initiatives, locally applied, can reduce food waste through tracking and staff engagement (Accor, 2025b). National policy on decarbonisation also raises the reputational and regulatory context for waste reduction in hotels and supports corporate sustainability reporting (Gov.uk, 2022a).  This context increases pressure on properties to show progress and to adopt low-cost operational changes that deliver measurable results.
 

Synthesis of secondary evidence points to a combined approach. Measurement of waste in kilograms by category, operational changes to production and replenishment, staff training on portioning and visible guest communication form an evidence-based package that sector reviews identify as effective. For breakfast operations in an Ibis-style hotel, the literature supports low-cost pilots such as smaller initial batch sizes, more frequent small refills, portion guidance for staff and simple guest-facing messages, all monitored by daily waste logs and simple key performance indicators.
 

Overall, the secondary sources justify the primary focus of this study and provide tested interventions and measurement approaches that can be adapted to the specific operational constraints of Ibis Cambridge Central Station.
 

Ethical reflection and considerations
 

All survey participants gave informed consent via the Google Forms consent statement, and the online form recorded consent entries prior to answering the questionnaire. Manager interviews were conducted only after verbal and written consent was obtained, and participants agreed to anonymised reporting of comments. Survey and interview data were anonymised before analysis, and identifying fields were removed. Data files are stored on the college-approved secure storage, and access is limited to the researcher and supervising tutor. The placement host provided permission for data collection at the site level, and ethics notes were filed. Limitations included a modest response rate and the potential for managerial presence to influence staff openness during on-site promotion of the survey. These factors likely produced some positive bias in self-reports and are acknowledged when presenting recommendations and effect sizes.

 

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Recommendations
 

Recommendation 1: Improved forecasting and portion control
 

To reduce avoidable breakfast waste, the hotel should integrate daily occupancy and reservation data into morning production plans. Forecasting should use simple prior-day and weekly averages to set initial batch volumes and then use staged cooking windows to avoid large early morning overproduction. Prepare smaller initial batches for high-risk items such as pastries, cooked eggs, and hot breads and replenish quickly in small amounts rather than refill large platters. Use basic portion templates and visible checklists to guide cooks and servers on standard portion sizes and refill triggers. Assign a named shift lead to confirm forecasted volumes at each handover and to authorise additional production only when real-time demand exceeds thresholds.
 

Recommendation 2: Staff training on waste reduction
 

Deliver short practical training modules for all breakfast staff, focused on portion control, stock rotation and safe handling of perishable items. Keep modules concise to fit within shift handovers and repeat monthly to reach part-time and casual staff who miss single training sessions. Provide laminated visual portion guides at each preparation station and a short checklist for handover folders to reduce individual variation. Add a brief roleplay on how to communicate the concept of staged refills to guests to ensure the staff members continue to have positive interaction with customers in cases where certain items are temporarily unavailable in large quantities. Keep a short training log and record attendance to allow the managers to know who should have refresher training.
 

Recommendation 3: Breakfast layout redesign
 

Redesign the breakfast system to minimise overfilling but not perceived variety. Substitute big display racks with smaller service containers and dispensers or pre-plated pastries wherever possible. Restock the most popular items in place so that they can be replenished at a back station to ensure that front displays can be small and can be filled up without a lot of fuss. Use smaller serving utensils and invite guests to use the smaller plates one serving at a time by putting a mark on the portions that are obviously labelled. Bright signs that face the guests explaining the staged replenishment and encouraging the guests to ask the chefs to serve more preserves and less on the plate.
 

Recommendation 4: Staff engagement and feedback
 

Establish a simple engagement loop where staff complete a daily waste log and discuss results in a short weekly review. Use the weekly meeting to test small adjustments and record operational notes from part-time and experienced staff who can highlight repeat causes of waste. Recognise measurable improvements with informal rewards such as thank you notes visible on the board or a small team acknowledgement during briefings. Involving staff in testing changes increases ownership and improves compliance, which is particularly important in teams with mixed contract types and variable shift patterns.

 

Recommendation 5: Monitoring and review system
 

Implement daily food-by-waste sheets in kilograms, with a short cause code, e.g. overproduction, plate waste or spoilage. Divide the total daily into weekly totals, and at the weekly meeting, show a simple trend chart so that staff and managers can check the progress and what needs to be done. Establish targets that are set each time in an iterative way, like reducing avoidable wastage of breakfast by a percentage within a period of four weeks during the pilot, and adjust the procedures accordingly. The management should also look at the metrics after every month and make minor changes in procedures as needed. 
 

Expected Benefits
 

The recommendations are cost-effective and can be implemented operationally within the current rotas, and can provide quantifiable savings in preventable food waste. The anticipated results are the decreased food price due to the minimisation of waste and better access to the most popular items that will help in guest satisfaction and online review results. Staff morale and ownership are likely to improve because staff see the impact of their actions and receive recognition for changes that work. Aligning these measures with Accor sustainability guidance and sector measurement standards strengthens managerial buy-in and supports property-level reporting. 
 

Implementation and Pilot Plan
 

Run a four-week pilot that documents baseline waste for one week, followed by three weeks of incremental changes and measurement. Assign a named shift leader to oversee daily logging and a responsible manager to review weekly summaries. Use simple indicators such as kilograms avoidable waste per service percent reduction versus baseline, and frequency of stock out events to judge whether guest experience is maintained. Report pilot outcomes in a short briefing with photographic evidence and anonymised quotes from staff. This approach is pragmatic, measurable, and staff-led.

 

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