Sustainable consumption in Taiwan retailing: The impact of product features and price promotion on purchase behaviors toward expiring products

Abstract

Food waste is a waste of social resources, and causes environmental pollution and ecological damage. The ratio of food waste generated in the food supply chain is greatest in the retail and personal consumption stages. At this stage, the disposal of expiring products is an issue in food waste. Because of this, formulating promotional strategies regarding the attributes of expiring food to improve consumer awareness and purchase behavior must be explored. In this study, a 2x2x2 factorial between‐subject experiment was performed using the expiration date label, price discount, and food type to conduct a survey with a scenario-based design. Research results show that the degree of perishability of expiring food and the level of price discounts produce different levels of perceived value. In addition, familiarity with expiration date-based products (EDBP) practices has a significant moderating effect that enhances the relationship between price discounts and perceived value. When consumers have a high degree of familiarity with EDBP practices, the perceived value and purchase intention are positively improved. The results of this research should be helpful to scholars, retailers, and policymakers.