Consumer-related antecedents of food provisioning behaviors that promote food waste

Abstract

Household food waste has serious negative consequences for the environment and the society. Food waste results from food provisioning behaviors, however, there is little evidence regarding consumer-related factors that drive such behaviors. The aim was to investigate the antecedents of key food provisioning behaviors related to food waste and of motivation to reduce food waste. A cross-sectional online survey (N = 508) conducted in Denmark showed that excessive buying and discarding foods past the best before date were mainly driven by individual tendencies such as impulsive buying tendency or disgust sensitivity. Consumers’ frugal, environmental and hedonic self-identities were associated with higher motivation to reduce food waste, whereas the first two identities were also associated with lower likelihood of discarding food past the best before date. Consumers’ frugal self-identity and disgust sensitivity were directly associated negatively, respectively positively, with self-reported food waste as well. Excessive buying and motivation to reduce food waste were the most important proximal drivers of self-reported food waste. Implications for public policy are discussed.