2.3.3. Participatory Observations

Participatory observations were carried out when the employees performed daily work routines. The observations were based on an observation protocol [41] and this approach ensured uniformity across all three stores, and to control and confirm what was stated during the interviews. Participatory observations took place together with the employee that was interviewed and with one or two more employees from the FV departments. During the observations, the researchers participated in all store operations, and photographs were taken to support the field notes. The observations revealed aspects of the work that had not been dwelt upon earlier during the interview, and enabled acquisition

of detailed information about specific issues for each product. At times, it was possible to ask something directly during the work, and in other cases, the question was raised in a subsequent interview. To deepen the insights about the employees and what they were doing and why, the researchers spent many hours interacting with the employees in the supermarkets with the observation protocol but also with a high degree of flexibility in order to follow the employees, inspired by the Gioia method [46]. The Gioia method emphasises the importance of "get in there and get your hands dirty-research—madly making notes on what the informants are telling us, conscientiously trying to use their terms, not ours, to help us understand their lived experience". During the field visits, the researchers also participated in internal store meetings where figures on food waste were presented and discussed among all departments.

In the pre-study, the authors sensed some reservations and anxiety from the employees during the interviews and observations, as well as around sharing sensitive information about food waste figures. Existing literature shows that interviewees can experience an interview as an inconvenient situation [47]. To reduce the inconvenience and distance between the interviewer and the interviewee, and consequently create data with larger nuances [48], the interviews and participating observations were carried out without any audio recordings. As a result, it was necessary to document the facts regularly and smaller breaks during the field visits were planned to reconsolidate and write down facts, comments and reflections from the interviews. All interviews and observations were documented through field notes the same day as the field visits. There was also a mutual agreement with the employees regarding follow-up telephone calls to confirm and seek clarification if anything from the visits was unclear. The extensive field notes with photos and follow-up calls reduced the need for audio recording.
