Household Food Waste Research Articles

Exploring South Australian households' perceptions towards various food waste policies

Increasing landfill and environmental costs are driving municipalities to search for effective policies to change household food waste disposal, balancing competing attributes such as effectiveness, fairness and feasibility. In order to better understand households' policy perspectives, we conducted an online survey with 1520 South Australians regarding four different food waste policies, namely: 1) frequency-based pricing for bin collection; 2) penalties for bin misuse; 3) changing bin collection timing; and 4) extension and education. A structural equation modelling approach was used to model overall policy preference, based on perceived policy attributes and household socio-demographics. Results highlighted that respondents' rated economic incentives (pricing and penalties) as the most effective in changing food waste behaviour, but rank these policies low in feasibility or acceptability. Conversely, education and information campaigns were rated as the lowest in effectively changing behaviour, but the most acceptable and fairest policy overall. Overall, respondents from households producing less food waste were more favourable towards introducing economic incentive food waste policies.

Exploring knowledge, attitudes and practices towards sustainable food aid programmes across Europe

Abstract Background Food insecurity has increased following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict. In some EU high-income countries, more than 70% of food aid users experience food insecurity, highlighting the need for food aid programmes to provide good quality and sustainable services and maximise the social inclusion of food aid users. The aim of this study was to identify areas that can promote sustainability in food aid programmes. Methods Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards sustainable food aid were assessed via a quantitative questionnaire. Socio-demographic data were also collected. The survey was translated and disseminated online across 5 EU countries (Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Portugal), targeting staff and volunteers involved in food aid programmes (20 per country, total N = 100). Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results Most participants were female (68%), 18-49 years old (87%) and occupied in a NGO (89%) as employee (55%). The mean total knowledge score was 11.8 out of 19 (SD 3.2) with low knowledge (% of correct answers) on household food waste (18%) and environmental impact of cooking appliances (29%). In all countries (except Austria) more than 70% of participants agreed that they can apply sustainability through their work; however, more than 50% agreed that sustainability is not always feasible in food aid programmes. Food loss/waste, access to local food and the economic crisis were the main parameters reported to impact sustainability in food aid (≥70% of N). The most frequently applied practices were storing food according to expiration date, monitoring quantities in food distribution, considering beneficiaries’ needs and reading food labels. The least frequently applied practices were composting food leftovers and using energy-efficient methods to distribute food. Conclusions Sustainability is considered important; however, more effort is needed to promote and embed sustainability parameters in food aid programmes. Key messages • Sustainability is considered important in food aid programmes; however, more effort is needed to promote and embed sustainability parameters in practice. • Identifying sustainability areas in food aid programmes can lead to successful educational and training initiatives.

Mediterranean diet adherence and food waste among university students

Abstract Introduction The Mediterranean diet (MD) is widely acknowledged as both a nutritious and sustainable dietary option. Growing research indicates that dietary habits can impact the amount of food waste produced. The aim of the study was to assess the correlation between adherence to the MD and food waste behavior among university students. Methods A cross-sectional study employing a validated, anonymous, online questionnaire was conducted among students at the University of Milan. Food waste was measured using the Italian version of the Household Food Waste Behavior (HFWB) questionnaire, while adherence to the MD was assessed through the Medi-Lite questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed in Microsoft Forms. Data were collected between July and October 2023. Responses to the HFWB were scored from 1 for disagreeing responses to 7 for agreeing resposes. Pearson correlation (ρ) between MD adherence and anti-waste behavior, stratified by gender and for the overall population was calculated. Results A total of 2,617 students (70% females, age 18-23 years 52%) completed the questionnaire. The average MD adherence score was 10.2 (± 2.2), with 65% of the sample being adherent to the MD. MD score was higher among female (10.4), compared to males (10.1, p < 0.001). Females show a more anti-waste behavior (score=5.3±0.8) compared to males (score=5.2±0.7, p < 0.001). MD adherence statistically significant correlated with anti-waste behavior in the overall sample (ρ = 0.27; 95% CI 0.24-0.31, p < 0.001) and within each gender group (Females: ρ = 0.27; 95% CI 0.22-0.35, p < 0.001; Male: (ρ = 0.28; 95% CI 0.22-0.35, p < 0.001) Conclusions This study provides evidence of the weak, positive correlation between adherence to the MD and household food waste behavior. Advocating for the MD could enhance health while simultaneously lowering food waste levels, which may have beneficial effects on environmental sustainability and the management of food resources. Key messages • Adherence to the Mediterranean diet linked to lower food waste among university students. • Mediterranean diet promotes health and less waste, aiding environmental sustainability.

Food waste in Polish households as an economic problem

The aim of our research was to investigate the scale and causes of food waste in households and its economic consequences, as well as the respondents’ attempts to curb food waste. Empirical research was performed in 2023 in the form of a diagnostic survey employing a standardised questionnaire on a total of 802 subjects. It was found that most frequently wasted food included ready meals, bread, vegetables and fruit. Exceeding the expiration date, food spoilage, and preparing excessive amounts of food were the most common reasons for wasting food. To limit food waste, the respondents used measures such as freezing food to eat later, drawing up a shopping list, using food to prepare other meals, checking the expiration date and purchasing less food. It was also found that during the constant rise in food prices in 2022, the respondents used these measures more often than before. A large-scale information campaign is required to raise awareness of the necessity of preventing food waste.

Association Between Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Household Food Waste Behaviors Among University Students in Italy: The UniFoodWaste Study

Food waste is a growing environmental, economic, and social challenge worldwide. This study aimed to assess the association between various socio-demographic characteristics and household food waste behaviors among university students in Italy. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated, online, anonymous, and voluntary-based questionnaire distributed among university students in Milan, Italy. Linear regression analyses were performed to explore the association between socio-demographic factors and anti-household food waste behaviors (preventive practice, abilities scores, and parental guidance). A total of 2779 students participated in the survey. Students residing outside Lombardy exhibited higher preventive practice scores (β = 0.11, p = 0.030). Regular smoking was negatively associated with preventive practice (β = −0.22, p < 0.001) and abilities scores (β = −0.11, p = 0.009). Cohabitation with a partner positively impacted abilities scores (β = 0.23, p = 0.007). Larger family sizes and students in scientific fields showed higher scores for parents’ guidance (β = 0.18, p < 0.001). Frequent use of food delivery apps correlated with lower scores across all categories, while anti-food waste apps had a positive effect. Socio-demographic factors significantly influence food waste behaviors among university students. Tailored public health policies and educational programs addressing these factors could effectively reduce food waste.

Curbing household food waste and associated climate change impacts in an ageing society.

We explored the intricate quantitative structure of household food waste and their corresponding life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from raw materials to retail utilizing a combination of household- and food-related economic statistics and life cycle assessment in Japan. Given Japan's status as a nation heavily impacted by an aging population, this study estimates these indicators for the six age brackets of Japanese households, showing that per capita food waste increases as the age of the household head increases (from 16.6 for the 20's and younger group to 46.0 kg/year for 70's and older in 2015) primarily attributed to the propensity of older households purchase of more fruits and vegetables. Further, the largest life cycle greenhouse gases related to food waste was 90.1 kg-CO2eq/year for those in their 60's while the smallest was 39.2 kg-CO2eq/year for 20's and younger. Furthermore, food waste and associated emissions are expected to decline due to future demographic changes imparted by an aging, shrinking population after 2020 until 2040. Specific measures focused on demographic shifts are crucial for Japan and other countries with similar dietary patterns and demographics to achieve related sustainable development goals through suppressing food waste and associated emissions under new dietary regimes.

Systematic review of factors influencing household food waste behaviour: Applying the theory of planned behaviour.

Globally, household food waste alone accounts for about $700 billion in environmental costs owing to the resources expended in producing discarded or uneaten food, along with social costs reaching approximately $900 billion. Reducing this waste by 25% could potentially feed 821 million chronically undernourished individuals. This systematic review examines household food waste behaviour using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed and EMBASE using Elsevier supplemented by additional articles from the reference lists. The procedure followed the PRISMA flowchart. A descriptive analysis was conducted to summarize the characteristics of the 42 included studies from 17 countries. Significantly, 95% of these articles were published between 1 January 2010 and 19 April 2024, in Scimago Q1 ranked journals. The findings demonstrate an intersection of TPB components in explaining household food waste behaviour. This study suggests that a holistic strategy targeting attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control is essential for effectively reducing household food waste. Additionally, tailored interventions that consider demographic and socioeconomic factors are necessary to address the diverse needs of different populations. The study concludes that public education targeting mindful consumption, effective policies and community initiatives can significantly reduce food waste.

Frozen food purchasing and home freezing of fresh foods: associations with household food waste

PurposeFreezing extends the shelf life of food. Home freezing of fresh foods and the purchase of frozen foods have been advocated as approaches to reduce food waste in US households. This paper discusses how commonly US households apply these practices, quantifies frozen food waste and relates these practices to food waste.Design/methodology/approachWe add questions to the summer 2022 wave of the US Household Food Waste Tracking Survey. The novel survey data provide important baseline information and household behaviours, such as food waste, home freezing of fresh food and the purchase of frozen foods. We analyse the association among these behaviours from more than 1,000 US households.FindingsWe find that US household wastes about 26 g per person per week of food that was once frozen, which is about 6% of all household food waste. The finding indicates that a small portion of food waste in US households comes from frozen food. Vegetables and meats are the most commonly discarded frozen foods. Among the frozen items reported as discarded, about 30% were purchased as frozen rather than purchased fresh and then frozen at home by the consumer and about 30% more were reported as discarded from the refrigerator rather than directly from the freezer. The findings are important for informing strategies to reduce household food waste.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the data provide important baseline information and correlate the use of freezing with lower waste levels, more work is needed to understand if interventions encouraging frozen food purchase or home freezing would reduce household food waste.Originality/valueWe provide unique, detailed information about the quantity of frozen food waste in US households and the relationships between consumer food waste and the practices of frozen food purchasing and home freezing.

Assessing how load-shedding affects the generation of household food waste in Merafong City Local Municipality, South Africa

ABSTRACT The present study investigated levels of awareness about the impact of loadshedding on the generation of household food wastes in Merafong City Local Municipality in South Africa. The research also assessed the statistical associations between socio-economic factors and food waste generation due to load-shedding. The stratified systematic sampling approach was used to select 105 survey participants. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by means of a questionnaire. The survey data were captured in Microsoft Excel (SPSS) and analysed using the Chi-squared ( χ 2 ) test and descriptive statistics. The study findings revealed a very strong association between type of settlement ( χ 2 = 39.8, p = 0.002 < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.355), monthly income ( χ 2 = 76.0, p = <0.001 < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.381), and the number of people living in the household ( χ 2 = 38.8, p = 0.029 < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.304) with the contribution of load-shedding to household food waste. Overall, the study has identified the contribution of loadshedding on food waste generation. It is thus imperative for future studies to not only quantify the impact of loadshedding on food waste generation in Merafong but to also develop strategies to mitigate these negative effects on communities.

Morals over money: The relationship between moral motivations and consumers' food waste

Around 11% of the total global food production is wasted by households. People may avoid wasting food for various reasons, such as environmental, moral, financial and social motivations. To set up concrete interventions, it would be helpful to have better insight into which motivations more readily translate in actual food waste avoidance behaviors and less food waste. There may be a discrepancy between motivation and behavior, such that certain motivations have a stronger predictive power for food waste amount than others. This study aims to explore the predictive power of different motivations using observed household food waste data from a waste audit. Whereas we predicted, based on prior research, that financial motivations influence food waste most prominently due to its direct personal implications, moral motivations are shown to be the primary driver of reduced household food waste. This finding challenges prior assumptions and highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of the underlying factors contributing to food waste and waste-reducing behaviors. The implications of these findings extend to practitioners, policy makers, and theoretical perspectives in the field and suggest a prioritization of moral motivations when designing interventions, formulating policies, and developing theoretical frameworks to effectively address the pervasive issue of household food waste.

From Farm to Fork: Addressing Food Waste in Households

With the rising environmental awareness, the issue of food waste is drawing considerable attention from civil society, scholars, industry practitioners and policymakers alike. Addressing food waste is crucial, as it incurs a variety of social, health, economic and environmental costs, including greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation and the depletion of natural resources. The objective of this study is to analyze processes in food waste management to gain insight into factors influencing consumer behaviour, attitudes, and practices regarding consumption and food waste and loss prevention in the supply chain. This requires the analysis of decision making methods and waste reduction strategies and approaches, particularly for households. The goal is to emphasize the importance of raising consumer awareness and sense of individual responsibility, especially given the recent surge in collective community intentions to live more sustainably. However, translating these intentions into tangible actions is uncertain and filled with socio-economic complexities. Reports indicate that, households are responsible for approximately half of all food waste generated. Therefore, it's important to review the literature on barriers and triggers related to behaviour patterns and variations in food related lifestyle dimensions, to determine the factors that might influence food handling and food waste knowledge. Targeting households presents a promising starting point for future interventions, highlighting actions that may influence the current food consumption model to reduce the amount of food wasted. The methodological approach was structured into three steps. First, a literature review was conducted to gather insights and identify factors and interconnections between consumer behaviour and food waste. Second, related drivers and triggers were analysed. Lastly, the findings were summarized to highlight gaps and opportunities for improving attitudes towards food waste prevention.

Micro-level Contributions Towards SDG Target 12.3: Identifying the Behavioural Drivers of Household Food Waste Reduction

In many Western countries, household food waste is by far the largest contributor to the overall total food waste and threatens the sustainability of the food system. In order to identify the factors that influence households’ food waste decisions and to predict behaviour towards food waste, the paper employs perspectives from the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the expectation, motivation and attitude (EMA) model. This paper extends the TPB model by adding the construct of affective states, since there is strong empirical support for this. Data from respondents in the UK who were responsible for purchasing household food and making food-related decisions were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that for the TPB, an individual’s attitude, PBC and affect had a statistically significant direct association with consumers’ intention to reduce food waste. In addition, the results show a direct positive association between intentions to reduce food waste and actual food waste behaviour. For the EMA, expectation influences motivation and attitude. Compared to the EMA, the TPB proves to be relatively good predictive models for understanding determinants of food waste reduction. The TBP also supports incorporating elements such as affective states, considering that the additional construct in the model contributes to improving understanding of consumers’ intention to reduce food waste. Collectively, household food waste can be reduced by avenues that influence individuals’ positive attitudes, increases the expectation that food waste reduction behaviour is within one’s control and evokes a positive affective state when food waste is reduced in households. JEL Classification: D1, D12, F64, Q53

The Last Bite: Exploring behavioural and situational factors influencing leftover food waste in households

Food leftovers are a major contributor to household food waste. However, the drivers of household food leftover management practices are less understood. This study analyses the leftover food management behaviour using the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability framework. A Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis was used to empirically test the influence of motivation, opportunity, ability, and competing goals on self-reported leftover food management practices of Australian consumers. The results show consumers’ motivation is strongly associated with leftover food management practices. Particularly, consumers are motivated not to waste food because of negative feelings towards wasting food and understanding the consequences of leftover food waste. Consumer abilities in meal planning, efficient cooking, food inventory management, interpreting expiry dates, and food storage also significantly affected leftover food management in the home. The availability of time, information technology and lifestyle showed a relatively weaker impact on leftover food management. Competing goals of eating healthy, safe, and tasty food and having enough food lower the interest in leftover food management in the home. Understanding the drivers of leftover food management can guide designing interventions to promote behaviour change in preventing leftover waste.

The limitations of an informational campaign to reduce household food waste at the community scale

In this study, we designed and tested a household food waste intervention in the County of Wellington, Canada. This small study compared control households (n = 20) to those receiving an intervention package (n = 32). Food waste generation rates and composition were observed through waste composition audits before and after the intervention, and participants’ feedback on the intervention was received through a survey (n = 7). We found that although the informational campaign was generally not successful in reducing food waste generation at the community scale (possibly due to intention-behavior gaps), there is potential for such interventions to encourage a sub-set of individuals toward reduction behaviors when appropriately targeted and delivered.

Reducing Food Waste Through Choice Architecture: Insights From Denmark, the UK, and San Francisco

Food waste poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges, with approximately 1.05 billion tonnes wasted globally in 2022, accounting for 19% of available consumable food. This paper explores the effectiveness of choice architecture in reducing food waste, highlighting successful initiatives in Denmark, the U.K., and San Francisco. Denmark’s “Stop Wasting Food” initiative achieved a 25% reduction in food waste through clear labeling and pricing strategies. The U.K.’s “Love Food Hate Waste” campaign reduced household food waste by 21% by providing practical tools and educational resources. San Francisco’s comprehensive waste management program, including mandatory composting and recycling laws, diverted 80% of waste from landfills. The paper suggests that governments and organizations can implement similar strategies, such as regulatory frameworks, public-private partnerships, and consumer education, to reduce food waste. It also identifies areas for further research, including the long-term sustainability of these interventions and their adaptability to different cultural and social contexts. These findings emphasize the importance of innovative approaches through choice architecture to reduce food waste for environmental sustainability and economic efficiency.

Leftover love: Exploring the behavioural heterogeneity of household meal wasters

Meal leftovers are a major component of household food waste. However, there is a limited understanding of leftover food management behaviours, which can assist in reducing food waste in household settings. This study segments households with distinctive behaviours associated with meal leftover management. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used for consumer segmentation. Data on meal leftovers and food management behaviours were collected using a national-level survey of 1728 Australian households. We identified two heterogenous groups of households regarding leftover meal management, ‘Self-sufficient savers’ (59% of the sample) and ‘Naïve discarders’ (41% of the sample). The findings indicate that inefficient cooking and storing behaviours lead to cooked meals being discarded. ‘Naïve discarders’ dispose of leftover meals either immediately or after storing them because they do not have sufficient cooking skills to repurpose leftovers or judge the safety of the food after storing them. They also lack meal-planning skills. In contrast, the ‘Self-sufficient savers’ demonstrated efficient cooking skills and storing behaviours. They read and followed the storage and meal portioning instructions. Results highlight the need for customised interventions targeting consumers with low cooking and storing knowledge to contribute towards overall food waste minimisation.

The actionability of household food waste reduction

While technically feasible, completely avoiding certain waste in real-life may be challenging. We construct the concept of actionability to classify six causes for household food waste based on the difficulty of action to address them. Using data from an online survey of 1746 consumers from China, we show that the actionability-adjusted food waste is 2.4 to 10.6 percentage points lower than the traditional measure, translating to up to 7.2 million tons or $26.5 billion in reduced waste in 2019. The main causes of food waste are similar in total food and four main specific categories of food. Our statistical models show that consumer demographic characteristics also interact with the levels of actionability among different types of food. Our findings can advance the measurement of and the creation of more realistic and effective policies to reduce household food waste.

The Environmental Footprint of Available Food Waste in Young Households: A Diary Case Study of Schleswig-Holstein (Germany)

As households contribute significantly to food waste, it can be assumed that they bear considerable responsibility for the environmental footprint of it. In Germany, household food waste comprises over half of all food loss and waste, with a notable share attributable to young people. To explore their environmental footprint, data from fifty young households in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, is analyzed using the Food Loss and Waste Value Calculator with an integrated life cycle assessment. We evaluate the environmental footprint of animal and plant food waste across five categories: climate change, water scarcity footprint, soil quality index, phosphorus and nitrogen eutrophication. Surprisingly, animal food waste, though representing only 18% of the total volume of all available food waste in our study, exhibits a more substantial impact in all categories except water scarcity. Specifically, animal food waste is found to be an important factor in soil degradation. Our results generally indicate an inverse relationship between the volume of animal-based and plant-based food waste in young households and its environmental footprint. However, the case study highlights a troubling connection between plant food waste and significant water scarcity issues in European agriculture.

Salience and food waste reduction: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

This article investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food waste management behavior. By utilizing 1.6 million dining transactions at 87 restaurants in 10 Chinese cities, we find that an average 8.4 percent reduction in plate waste in restaurants associated with new COVID-19 infections at the national level during the pandemic. Further evidence shows that this change in behavior is not permanent, as the level of plate waste tends to revert to pre-pandemic levels once the pandemic came under control. We test several explanations for the empirical findings and conclude that salience bias is the most plausible explanations. This insight into waste management behavior highlights the importance of utilizing salience-friendly policy instruments to effectively implement resource conservation and waste management policy goals.

Prevalence of household food insecurity and its association with food waste

BackgroundHousehold food waste significantly contributes to overall food waste. While the relationship between food security and food waste has been extensively studied at the macro level, there is a need for research focusing on the quantitative association between food security and food waste at the household level in developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of household food insecurity and household food waste and to examine the association between household food security and food waste using direct measurements.Subjects and methodsA total of 215 households in Bogor Regency, Indonesia, participated in this cross-sectional study. Food waste was measured using waste composition analysis and a 7-day diary. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) questionnaire was used to assess household food security, while household income and the proportion of food expenditure were considered confounding factors. The association between food security and food waste was examined using Kendall tau-b and ordinal logistic regression.ResultsThe prevalence of household food insecurity was 18.6%, and the average household food waste was 77 kg/cap/year. Cereals, tubers, and their derivatives (especially rice) and vegetables were major contributors to edible waste, while fruits dominated inedible waste. A negative association was observed between food waste and household food security (edible FW: p = 0.044, r = -0.110; total FW: p = 0.038, r = -0.114), suggesting that household food waste decreases as the severity of food insecurity increases. However, after adjusting for household income, the proportion of food expenditure, and the education levels of spouses, this association became statistically insignificant (p > 0.05).ConclusionThere was no significant association between household food security status and food waste. Household income plays a significant role in determining the quantity of household food waste, as higher income is associated with increased food waste. Strategies to prevent and reduce food waste should focus on major contributors such as rice and vegetables, especially among families with higher food accessibility.