Food Waste and Household Logistics: A Critical Analysis between Malaysia and Bangladesh

Abstract

The wasting of food has become a significant issue among developed and developing countries. With increasing population, scarcity of resources, and global warming, the wasting of edible food is non-humanitarian, especially when most people are still malnourished. The current study was aimed at understanding the complex consumer behaviour that contributes to food waste behaviour by identifying the acceptance of reverse logistics by consumers via a technological platform to reduce food waste in Bangladesh and Malaysia. In this research, descriptive and causal research designs were applied to statistically describe and investigate the behavioural patterns of the target sample, and then, to make a comparison between two cultures: Malaysian and Bangladeshi. Social cognitive theory was applied to perform a critical analysis of household sectors in Malaysia and Bangladesh. A quantitative analysis was conducted on a sample of 245 respondents. The findings revealed that attitude and awareness play a significant role in shaping the behaviour of consumers, but the acknowledgement of preventive measures varies. This study considered the consumer traits, behaviour, attitudes, awareness, culture, and regional effects in Bangladesh and Malaysia. The paper proposed a prevention method through innovation and reverse logistics to help high-income people share consumable food with the underprivileged to reduce food waste in Malaysia and Bangladesh.