Household food waste composting habits and behaviours in Hungary: A segmentation study

Abstract

The prevention and the proper management of household food waste represents a dramatic and collective challenge. Home composting provides an excellent opportunity to recycle biowaste at source, therefore, it should be promoted to the public. The practice of home composting is influenced by a set of complex mechanisms, including motivation, attitude, and behaviour. Consumer research is needed to define segments of the society and to design targeted interventions. This investigation is the first representative study analysing the habits and behaviours of household garden waste and food waste composting in Hungary. The aim was to explore composting practices of Hungarian households, and to identify the perceived advantages, barriers and incentives. The paper also examined the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes, food wastage and composting habits. The research is based on a quantitative (n = 1002) consumer survey representative of the adult population of Hungary in terms of sex, age and geographical distribution. The results indicate that 31% of the respondents compost garden waste and food waste in the household. Lack of space and proper knowledge were defined as barriers. Utilization of humus and decreasing the quantity of solid waste are the main perceived benefits. According to the results, pro-environmental attitude and less wasteful behaviour positively affects the habit of composting. A combined cluster analysis was conducted to segment the respondents. Four distinct groups have been identified: Average composters; Uninterested urban citizens; Helpless apartment residents; Active environmentalists. The results deliver some policy implications to promote home composting, especially for young people and families with children.