Retail Food Loss Unstructured Interviews Wave 2

Appendix B-1

Recruitment Script (no contact identified)

Exploratory Semi-structured Interviews on Retail Food Loss—Wave 2

Agency: Economic Research Service

Appendix B-1: Recruitment Script (No contact identified)¹

Company is an Independent Operator

Good Morning/Afternoon,

My name is <name>, and I am a researcher with RTI International, a nonprofit research institute. In coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, RTI is conducting interviews on the topic of food loss with a small number of food retail companies. Food loss is an issue of national and global importance with implications for nutrition security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. The purpose of the interviews is to collect information to help inform the design of a potential national study on retail-level food loss. To make such a study a success, we need the help of independent retailers like you.

We would like to set up a short 30-minute interview with the person at [COMPANY NAME] who is most knowledgeable about how your company tracks food loss and maintains electronic data on product flows. This might be someone in operations, supply chain management, procurement or someone in the data or finance department. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Would you be able to help me identify the best person to interview?

[IF YES AND IF TRANSFERRING TO DIRECT LINE] Thank you, and may I also have their extension so that I can follow up directly if we get disconnected?

[IF YES, RECORD CONTACT INFORMATION AND WAIT TO BE TRANSFERRED] Thank you, have a nice day. [GO TO APPENDIX B-2]

[IF NO] Thank you for your time.

Company is a Regional or National Chain

Good Morning/Afternoon,

My name is <name>, and I am a researcher with RTI International, a nonprofit research institute. In coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, RTI is conducting interviews on the topic of food loss with a small number of food retail companies. Food loss is an issue of national and global importance with implications for nutrition security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. The purpose of the interviews is to collect information to help inform the design of a potential national study on retail-level food loss. Participation in the 30-minute interview is voluntary and confidential.

I would like to speak with the Director of Sustainability or someone who holds a similar position within your company to help us identify the person to interview. Would you be able to help me identify the best person to interview?

NOTE: Concurrent with this process we will contact the Director of Corporate Communications and work with them to identify the appropriate person within the company to interview (for larger companies there may be an email portal to submit requests) We will tailor our approach based on what we learn from our initial recruiting efforts.

[IF YES AND IF TRANSFERRING TO DIRECT LINE] Thank you, and may I also have their extension or email so that I can follow up directly if we get disconnected?

[IF YES, RECORD CONTACT INFORMATION AND WAIT TO BE TRANSFERRED] Thank you, have a nice day. [GO TO APPENDIX B-2]

[IF NO] Thank you for your time.

NOTIFICATION TO RESPONDENT OF ESTIMATED BURDEN: Public reporting burden for this Recruitment Script is estimated to average 5 minutes per response. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is #0536-0073. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Linda Kantor, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (linda.kantor@usda.gov).

1We will initially contact the company by phone if an email address is not available from online sources. When an initial point of contact is not identified through online searches and the main number for the company is being called, use Appendix B-1. If an initial contact is available through online searches, use Appendix B-2.