Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore behavioral patterns behind household food waste with partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results are based on a quantitative consumer survey with personal interviews. Sample (n = 1002) is representative of the adult population of Hungary in regard to age, sex, and geographical distribution. Statistical analysis included descriptive tests, variance analysis, principal component analysis, factor analysis, and PLS-SEM modeling. Based on multivariate tests, income, age, education, residence, and region were identified as the most influential socio-demographical factors of food wastage. Within the framework of the attitude model, the first PLS-SEM model (normative model) validated that all three—cognitive, affective, and conative—attitude components have an effect on food wastage behavior, but the conative component revealed to be the most important one. This underlines the importance of childhood education and awareness raising to shape routines and behavioral patterns with proper messages and impulses. Based on the second PLS-SEM model (explicative model), cooking too much food was identified as the most prominent pattern that influences food wastage. Contrary to anticipations, unplanned food purchase represented only minor significance. The results provided behavioral insights to a national level food waste prevention campaign in Hungary, called Wasteless (Maradék nélkül). This campaign plays an important role to meet the requirements of new EU legislation on food waste and the recommendations of EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste.
Highlights
Food waste is generated in every stage of the food chain, from agricultural production to households
We have analyzed the relation between the target variable that represents food wastage and a set of demographical variables with variance analysis
Applying the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)) method, our study confirmed the previous finding that consumer food wastage is not a result of a single behavior but is influenced by a combination of several behavioral patterns (Mondéjar-Jiménez et al 2016)
Summary
Food waste is generated in every stage of the food chain, from agricultural production to households. Factors determining the amount of household food waste are introduced on the basis of an attitude model, suggested initially by Allport (1935), who established the multidimensional interpretation of attitude. According to his attitude model theory, attitude consists of cognitive, affective, and conative components, which are consistent in affecting the individual’s general behavior. Based on the multidimensional model of attitudes, every attitude is constructed of the previously listed three components This view persisted throughout the twentieth century and provided theoretical support for extensive research
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