Carles Sitompul, Theresia Gunawan, Nina Mesiranta, Elina Närvänen and Johanna Renny Octavia
This study aims to examine food waste behaviours among university students in Indonesia by adapting the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) alongside the theory of domains of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine food waste behaviours among university students in Indonesia by adapting the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) alongside the theory of domains of knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 518 students at five Indonesian universities participated in an online survey, answering questions about their food waste behaviours based on the TPB and the domains of knowledge frameworks. Among them, 250 students had taken a course that covered the food waste topic, while 268 students had not taken the course. The data were later analysed by using partial least squares-structural equation modelling and measurement invariance across the composite models.
Findings
The findings reveal that environmental awareness, attitude towards food waste behaviours, subjective norms and different types of knowledge which are procedural knowledge, declarative knowledge, personal and social knowledge significantly influence food waste behaviour. Students who attended a course related to the food waste topic were more likely to align their intentions to reduce food waste with their reduction behaviour.
Originality/value
While previous research has highlighted the importance of the TPB in understanding food waste intentions and behaviour, studies also show that students’ knowledge about food waste plays a crucial role in shaping these intentions. This study builds on these insights by combining the TPB with the domains of knowledge theory, specifically looking at how participating in food waste-related courses influences food waste behaviours among Indonesian students.
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This study aimed to (1) examine the impact of restaurant customers’ emotional self-regulation on ethical evaluations and judgments on their food waste reduction behaviors and (2…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to (1) examine the impact of restaurant customers’ emotional self-regulation on ethical evaluations and judgments on their food waste reduction behaviors and (2) explore the influence of ethical judgments and evaluations on food waste reduction behaviors in restaurants.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a face-to-face survey at 20 restaurants in three major cities in Vietnam, namely Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Responses from 870 restaurant customers were used to analyze the data. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine the path effects.
Findings
Based on the model of Hunt and Vitell (1986), this study incorporates the role assessment of emotional self-regulation, deontological and teleological evaluation into the research model to examine consumers’ ethical judgments and ethical behaviors as food waste reduction behaviors. All hypotheses were accepted with the study’s data. From there, the author makes some implications for state management agencies and businesses in promoting consumers’ food waste reduction behaviors.
Practical implications
Several recommendations should be made based on the results of the study. First, there is a need for guidelines for people to regulate emotions to match ethical consumption decisions, such as increasing the amount of study time for subjects on ethics and emotion management, teaching and promoting ethical values and standards as well as discussing ethical perspectives on food waste. Second, governments and businesses need to promote communication about the consequences of food waste on television, radio, newspapers and social networks, should have anti-food waste posters and should even popularize charging for cases of ordering or taking food that is beyond personal needs.
Originality/value
First, this is believed to be the first study to investigate the role of emotions on ethical consumption decisions in general and food waste reduction in particular. Second, this study is one of the few studies that examine the influence of deontological evaluation, teleological evaluation and ethical judgments on food waste reduction behaviors (reduce, reuse and recycle). Finally, this is one of the few studies that comprehensively examines food waste reduction behaviors, including reduce, reuse and recycle.
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Qianni (Jacqueline) Zhu and Pei Liu
This research examines the elements that influence consumer behavior regarding food waste reduction in buffet style restaurants. It specifically analyzes the factors that affect…
Abstract
Purpose
This research examines the elements that influence consumer behavior regarding food waste reduction in buffet style restaurants. It specifically analyzes the factors that affect consumers' efforts to reduce food waste in these establishments by incorporating the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the norm activation model (NAM), and the social exchange theory (SET). Additionally, this study provides practical coping strategies for the restaurant industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon an integrated framework, the study collected 547 valid responses through an online survey on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) for structural equation analysis. Participants who are 18 years or older and have prior experience dining in buffet style restaurants were eligible to participate in the study.
Findings
The findings underscore the profound impact of consumer awareness on their attitudes (ATT) toward minimizing food waste. Moreover, subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), personal norms (PN) and establishment policies emerge as critical drivers of consumer behavior in buffet style dining settings. In light of these results, recommended strategies include enhancing consumer awareness initiatives and introducing house policies within restaurant operations.
Originality/value
This study employs an integrated framework that combines the NAM and TPB, taking into account the impact of house policies grounded in the SET. It provides a beneficial insight on reducing food waste in the buffet style foodservice operations from an interactive dynamic perspective between restaurants and consumers. Furthermore, this research offers valuable implications to the industry’s efforts to address food waste concerns and foster environmentally responsible behavior among consumers.
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Regine Marguerite Abos, Simone Taffe, Jane Connory, Gamithri Gayana Karunasena and David Pearson
This paper aims to demonstrate how the design of data visualisations can act as a tool to support social marketing messages in prompting behaviour change to reduce food waste…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate how the design of data visualisations can act as a tool to support social marketing messages in prompting behaviour change to reduce food waste using the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) as a theoretical framework. It also responds to a lack of consumer-led insight to develop campaigns in reducing food waste.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses data collected by the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (EFW CRC) in Australia to determine which text-based campaign messages are most likely to prompt people toward reducing food waste. Behaviour change messages were first identified through workshops with 11 food waste experts, then explored through online focus group discussions with 18 participants from three food-wasting market segments. The messages were further tested via a quantitative survey among 1,000 decision makers in Australian households in their own homes, with the top three performing messages examined using summative content analysis.
Findings
The significant findings were that participants want to see 1) evidence of how adopting new behaviours would lead to financial savings and benefit the environment, and 2) concrete steps to reduce food waste. When examined through the ELM, the findings suggest that tools that encourage both cognitive and peripheral processing as a means of persuasion, like data visualisations, may be useful for changing food-wasting behaviours.
Research limitations/implications
Applying principles from the field of communication design to the ELM has uncovered the potential for a cross-disciplinary approach to enhance theoretical frameworks for understanding consumer engagement with messages. This process in turn, may lead to the development of more effective behaviour change marketing strategies.
Practical implications
Six principles for using data visualisations in a social marketing campaign are proposed: personal relevance, ease of use, emotional storytelling, context, prioritising the message itself and long-term usage.
Originality/value
This study proposes that data visualisations could enhance the effectiveness of social marketing campaigns by leveraging consumer-derived insights and the persuasive capacity inherent in their theoretical underpinnings.
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Asyari Asyari, Perengki Susanto, Mohammad Enamul Hoque, Rika Widianita, Md. Kausar Alam and Abdullah Al Mamun
Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in fostering economic development by cultivating skilled workforce and generating knowledge and innovation. However, HEIs…
Abstract
Purpose
Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in fostering economic development by cultivating skilled workforce and generating knowledge and innovation. However, HEIs may pose a potential risk to sustainable economic development due to the generation of food waste inside their campus canteens. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of attitude, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), religiosity and pro-social behavior among State Islamic Religious College (SIRC) students on their intention to avoid food waste behavior. This study also focused on the mediating role of the three original theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables and pro-social behavior in the relationship between religiosity and the intention to reduce food waste.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires were used to collect data from 443 students at SIRC. The collected data were processed and analyzed using structural equation modelling to test direct, indirect and mediating effects.
Findings
The empirical results indicated that the eagerness of students at SIRC to reduce their behavior of leaving food behind can be driven by their negative attitudes or views toward food waste, the practice of religious teachings in their lives, the belief that they can avoid food waste and their concern for the environment. The empirical results reveal that even though religiosity influences SN, it is unable to strengthen the relationship between religiosity and the desire to be anti-food waste.
Practical implications
In addition to contributing to the food waste literature in the context of eating behavior, the results of this study have theoretical and practical implications.
Originality/value
To assess SIRC students’ behavioral intentions to avoid food waste behavior, this study used a contemporary setting to measure attitude, SN, PBC, religiosity and pro-social behavior, so strengthening the TPB’s empirical underpinning.
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Siong-Hoh Ting, Choi-Meng Leong, Tze-Yin Lim, Thiam Yong Kuek and Bibiana Chiu Yiong Lim
Food waste among young consumers is a significant concern that threatens food sustainability due to consumption behaviour. This study has integrated the Theory of Interpersonal…
Abstract
Purpose
Food waste among young consumers is a significant concern that threatens food sustainability due to consumption behaviour. This study has integrated the Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour to extend the Theory of Planned Behaviour to measure young consumer’s intention to reduce food waste in a developing country context. Bringing in emotion, habits, and facilitating conditions to predict the consumers' attitudes, this study assesses the intention to reduce food waste for corporate sustainability from the perspective of consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a quantitative approach and purposive sampling, 205 samples were collected from the young generation aged 18 to 30, who frequently have meals at home. The PLS-SEM technique was employed to examine the hypothesised model.
Findings
The findings supported all the hypotheses mentioned where attitudes, subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) affect the intention to reduce food waste among young consumers. Furthermore, the other variables, namely, habits, emotions and facilitating conditions, also significantly impact the attitudes of the young generation.
Originality/value
Understanding young consumers' food waste behaviour is vital from the social, economic, and environmental perspectives. This study showcases a comprehensive food waste behaviour model among young consumers by integrating the Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour and the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine the intention to minimise food waste. Practically, this study offers insights to business practitioners and communities in managing food waste from the young consumer perspective. Socially, this study supports the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 12 by contributing to global food waste reduction efforts.
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Mangirdas Morkunas, Yufei Wang, Jinzhao Wei and Antonino Galati
The present paper aims to reveal how different cultures, as reflected by cultural norms, traditions, and social expectations, influence food waste behaviour in different regions…
Abstract
Purpose
The present paper aims to reveal how different cultures, as reflected by cultural norms, traditions, and social expectations, influence food waste behaviour in different regions of the world.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic multifaceted literature review was employed as a main research tool.
Findings
The focal role of education and awareness campaigns in reducing household food waste and promoting responsible food consumption behaviours is revealed. The importance of guilt, behavioural control, negative attitudes towards leftovers, and social norms are among the most important factors predicting intentions to reduce food waste. Cultural beliefs significantly shape food attitudes and waste. Tailoring sustainable practices to traditions helps to ensure food security. Embracing cultural diversity can lead to the development of effective and sustainable food consumption patterns across different parts of the world.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper fully devoted to revealing how different cultural backgrounds shape food consumption habits and which marketing strategies aiming to nudge positive changes in responsible food consumption are preferred in different cultural contexts.
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Saman Attiq, Sumia Mumtaz, Amir Zaib Abbasi and Shahid Bashir
The present study aims to examine the impact of social media marketing activities (SMMAs) on the adoption of food waste reduction behavior among Generation Z consumers within the…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to examine the impact of social media marketing activities (SMMAs) on the adoption of food waste reduction behavior among Generation Z consumers within the restaurant service industry in Pakistan. The study focuses on the impact of social media advertisements and investigates the mediating influence of waste reduction intentions on actual behavior. This underscores the significance of contextual and emotional variables in comprehending consumer behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a cross-sectional research methodology to examine the impact of SMMAs on the behavior of Generation Z consumers in Pakistan’s food service industry with regard to reducing food waste. A study was conducted to investigate the restaurant purchasing behaviors of a sample consisting of 449 individuals belonging to the millennial generation, often known as Generation Z.
Findings
The majority of variables related to SMMA, except for interactivity and personalization, were shown to have a positive impact on individuals’ intents to reduce food waste. The study observed a significant relationship between consumers’ intentions to decrease waste and their actual behavior in waste reduction. Furthermore, this relationship was shown to be influenced by the mediating role of waste reduction intention.
Originality/value
Examining how social media affects Pakistani Generation Z’s efforts to reduce food waste is what makes this study distinctive. According to the research, the majority of social media factors positively influence intentions to reduce waste. The relationship between intentions and actual behavior, which highlights the impact of social media campaigns and emotional aspects in promoting waste reduction, is one of the important conclusions.
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Michal Misiak, Malgorzata Sobol, Lukasz Sakowski, Marta Kowal, Aleksandra Jurczyk and Lidia Wojtycka
The goal of the present research was to resolve two problems with contemporary methods used to assess consumer food waste: the lack of established categories of food wasting…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of the present research was to resolve two problems with contemporary methods used to assess consumer food waste: the lack of established categories of food wasting behaviours and difficulties in assessing food waste. In Studies 1 A and 1 B, a five-factor questionnaire for measuring food wasting behaviours was developed. Study 2 and Exploratory analyses verified whether the questionnaire allows for predicting the amount of wasted meat, dairy and bakery and a range of socioeconomic characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on pre-registered studies, a new questionnaire for measuring the frequency of food wasting behaviours, the Food Wasting Behaviours Questionnaire (FWBQ), was developed.
Findings
The results provided evidence that behaviours associated with food wasting could be narrowed down to five distinctive basic categories: (1) discarding food because of its' unpalatability; (2) preventing food waste through buying only the necessities; (3) preventing food waste through planning; (4) preventing food waste through sharing and (5) preventing food waste through feeding animals. The FWBQ allowed for investigating the socio-economic factors that influence food wasting behaviour. Finally, the FWBQ allowed for predicting the amount of wasted meat, dairy and bakery products. Also, particular factors were associated with a range of socioeconomic characteristics.
Originality/value
The FWBQ has been shown to be an inexpensive and easy-to-use method for systematising distinct categories of food wasting behaviours and demonstrating their determinants. The study takes an empirical approach (rather than intuitive) to distinguish separate categories of food wasting.
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Prokopis Theodoridis, Theofanis Zacharatos and Vasiliki Boukouvala
This study aims to evaluate the issue of household food waste in Greece, with an emphasis on assessing the level of awareness and key behaviours among consumers. Moreover, the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the issue of household food waste in Greece, with an emphasis on assessing the level of awareness and key behaviours among consumers. Moreover, the study focuses on examining consumer behaviours related to food waste and identifying distinct consumer profiles that can provide valuable insights into the issue in order to uncover unique behavioural factors and offer targeted interventions to curb food waste in the country.
Design/methodology/approach
A nationwide survey was conducted in Greece using a structured online questionnaire, which was sent to 1,270 participants, through the snowball technique. However, due to some incomplete responses, only 1,238 of the responses were considered suitable for analysis. Common descriptive statistics were used to sketch the respondents' profiles, and a non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct subgroups in the sample.
Findings
The study revealed a significant level of food waste awareness among Greek consumers. The cluster analysis identified four distinct consumer groups and substantial differences among them. Notably, sociodemographic analysis underscored a pronounced inclination towards food wastage among younger individuals. Additionally, each cluster's attributes, including their environmental awareness, shopping behaviours meal-planning tendencies and propensity for excess purchases, were examined. Consequently, this study underscored the imperative for targeted informational campaigns tailored for consumer segmentation, offering a pathway to identify prospective interventions conducive to the promotion of sustainable food-consumption practices.
Originality/value
The originality and value of this work lie in its unique focus on addressing the significant issue of household food waste within the context of Greece. What sets this study apart is the application of non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis (which allowed the authors to identify distinct consumer profiles), a method not widely utilised in the Greek context. By filling this knowledge gap, this study offers crucial insights that can inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing food waste, in alignment with global sustainability initiatives such as the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the European Union's “Farm to Fork” strategy. Additionally, this study contributes to the efforts to provide innovative solutions to prevent household food waste and foster a sustainable future in an ever-changing international environment marked by various crises