Food leftovers in workplace cafeterias: An exploratory analysis of stated behavior and actual behavior

Abstract

Reducing food waste is a major challenge to achieve a more sustainable food system. This research analyzes the food leftovers of 479 diners attending a workplace cafeteria. The methodology we develop allowed behavioral determinants to be matched with observed behavior (i.e. the amount of edible food left by each consumer) and stated behavior (i.e. the reported consumption for each meal). Results show that food leftovers depend on personal characteristics as well as situational factors. The strong discrepancy between stated and actual behavior stresses the need to rely on observational measures to avoid misleading interpretations in self-reported surveys about food waste. to avoid misleading interpretations in self-reported surveys about food waste.