This dataset contains the research data used to support the article “How and where does fruit and vegetable waste occur? Perceptions of wholesalers of the wholesale food markets”. The material derives from a survey conducted with fruit and vegetable wholesalers operating in Brazilian public wholesale food markets. The dataset includes anonymized responses and, when applicable, processed textual material used for content analysis and lexicometric analysis. The data were used to examine how wholesalers perceive the occurrence, causes, management and destination of fruit and vegetable waste along wholesale food supply chains. This dataset is related to the doctoral research developed at UNICAMP and should be interpreted in connection with the primary survey dataset deposited separately in the REDU.