Theoretical approaches to food waste behaviours: An overview

Main Article Content

Dane Chia
Chin Choo Yap
Mohamed Kheireddine Aroua
Lai Ti Gew

Abstract

Food waste around the world has emerged as a pressing issue that calls for attention and intervention. Analysing the food waste problem without understanding wasteful behaviour antecedents may oversimplify this multi-faceted issue, which will then compromise the development of interventions. This paper provides an overview of the theoretical approaches to food waste behaviour antecedents, followed by evidence-based interventions, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the Norm Activation Model (NAM), and the Social Practice Theory (SPT). These theories encompass the psychological, behavioural, societal, material, and structural factors that influence food waste practices. Our aim is to provide a holistic understanding on the antecedents of food waste behaviours and theory-based interventions.

Article Details

How to Cite
Chia, D., Yap, C. C., Aroua, M. K. ., & Gew, L. T. (2024). Theoretical approaches to food waste behaviours: An overview. Applied Environmental Research, 46(2). https://doi.org/10.35762/AER.2024017
Section
Review Article
Author Biographies

Dane Chia, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Research Assistant.

Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Chin Choo Yap, Sunway Materials Smart Science and Engineering Research Cluster, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Department of Psychology, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Mohamed Kheireddine Aroua, Sunway Materials Smart Science and Engineering Research Cluster, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Centre for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Utilization (CCDCU), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Department of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, United Kingdom.

References

UNEP. Food Waste Index Report 2021. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, 2021. [Online] Available from: https://www.unep.org/resources/report/unep-food-waste-index-report-2021 [Accessed 10 March 2022]

Crist, E., Mora, C., & Engelman, R. The interaction of human population, food production, and biodiversity protection. Science, 2017, 356(6335), 260-264.

Rohini, C., Geetha, P. S., Vijayalakshmi, R., Mini, M. L., & Pasupathi, E. Global effects of food waste. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2020, 9(2), 690-699.

Wilson, G. R., & Edwards, M. J. Native wildlife on rangelands to minimize methane and produce lower‐emission meat: kangaroos versus livestock. Conservation Letters, 2008, 1(3), 119-128.

Oliveira, F., & Doelle, K. Anaerobic digestion of food waste to produce biogas: a comparison of bioreactors to increase methane content–a Review. J Food Process Technol, 2015 6(478), 2.

Fiore, M., Pellegrini, G., Sala, P. L., Conte, A., & Liu, B. Attitude toward food waste reduction: The case of Italian consumers. International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, 2017, 9(2-3), 185-201.

Janssens, K., Lambrechts, W., van Osch, A., & Semeijn, J. How consumer behavior in daily food provisioning affects food waste at household level in The Netherlands. Foods, 2019, 8(10), 428.

World Health Organization. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021: Transforming food systems for food security, improved nutrition and affordable healthy diets for all. 2021. [Online] Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/the-state-of-food-security-and-nutrition-in-the-world-2021

Bajželj, B., Quested, T. E., Röös, E., & Swannell, R. P. The role of reducing food waste for resilient food systems. Ecosystem services, 2020, 45, 101140.

Quested, T. E., Marsh, E., Stunell, D., & Parry, A. D. Spaghetti soup: The complex world of food waste behaviours. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2013, 79, 43-51.

Parliament, U. K. Sustainable Food: Government Response to the Committee’s Eleventh Report of Session 2010-12-Environmental Audit Committee. 2012. [Online] Available from: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmenvaud/567/56703.htm (Accessed 10 March 2022)

FAO. Three sustainable energy solutions for food production and places where they are used. 2021. [Online] Available from: https://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1412108/ (Accessed 10 March 2022)

Fami, H. S., Aramyan, L. H., Sijtsema, S. J., & Alambaigi, A. The relationship between household food waste and food security in Tehran city: The role of urban women in household management. Industrial Marketing Management, 2021, 97, 71-83.

Michie, S., Johnston, M., Abraham, C., Lawton, R., Parker, D., & Walker, A. Making psychological theory useful for implementing evidence based practice: a consensus approach. BMJ Quality & Safety, 2005, 14(1), 26-33.

Ajzen, I. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 1991, 50(2), 179-211.

Schwartz, S. H. Normative influences on altruism. Advances in experimental social psychology, 1997, 10(221-279). Academic Press.

Shove, E., Pantzar, M., & Watson, M. The dynamics of social practice: Everyday life and how it changes. Sage, 2012.

Sommer, L. The theory of planned behaviour and the impact of past behaviour. International Business & Economics Research Journal (IBER), 2011, 10(1).

Norman, P., & Conner, M. The theory of planned behaviour and binge drinking: Assessing the moderating role of past behaviour within the theory of planned behaviour. British journal of health psychology, 2006, 11(1), 55-70.

Terry, D. J., & O'Leary, J. E. The theory of planned behaviour: The effects of perceived behavioural control and self‐efficacy. British Journal of Social Psychology, 1995, 34(2), 199-220.

Graham-Rowe, E., Jessop, D. C., & Sparks, P. Predicting household food waste reduction using an extended theory of planned behaviour. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2015, 101, 194-202.

Soorani, F., & Ahmadvand, M. Determinants of consumers’ food management behavior: Applying and extending the theory of planned behavior. Waste Management, 2019, 98, 151-159.

Annunziata, A., Agovino, M., Ferraro, A., & Mariani, A. Household food waste: a case study in southern Italy. Sustainability, 2020, 12(4), 1495.

Schwartz, S. H. Awareness of consequences and the influence of moral norms on interpersonal behavior. Sociometry, 1968, 355-369.

van Geffen, L., van Herpen, E., Sijtsema, S., & van Trijp, H. Food waste as the consequence of competing motivations, lack of opportunities, and insufficient abilities. Resources, Conservation & Recycling X, 2020, 5, 100026.

Devin, B., & Richards, C. Food waste, power, and corporate social responsibility in the Australian food supply chain. Journal of Business Ethics, 2018, 150(1), 199-210.

Schanes, K., Dobernig, K., & Gözet, B. Food waste matters-A systematic review of household food waste practices and their policy implications. Journal of cleaner production, 2018, 182, 978-991.

Smit, K.. Food waste reduction interventions-Behavior or Practice? Master’s thesis: Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, 2019.

Scalvedi, M. L., & Rossi, L. Comprehensive measurement of Italian domestic food waste in a European framework. Sustainability, 2021, 13(3), 1492.

Falasconi, L., Cicatiello, C., Franco, S., Segrè, A., Setti, M., & Vittuari, M. Such a shame! A study on self-perception of household food waste. Sustainability, 2019, 11(1), 270.

Jörissen, J., Priefer, C., & Bräutigam, K. R. Food waste generation at household level: Results of a survey among employees of two European research centers in Italy and Germany. Sustainability, 2015, 7(3), 2695-2715.

Jribi, S., Ben Ismail, H., Doggui, D., & Debbabi, H. COVID-19 virus outbreak lockdown: What impacts on household food wastage? Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2020, 22(5), 3939-3955.

Ellison, B., Savchenko, O., Nikolaus, C. J., & Duff, B. R. Every plate counts: Evaluation of a food waste reduction campaign in a university dining hall. Resources, Conservation and recycling, 2019, 144, 276-284.

Soma, T., Li, B., & Maclaren, V. Food waste reduction: A test of three consumer awareness interventions. Sustainability, 2020, 12(3), 907.

Yamakawa, H., Williams, I., Shaw, P., & Watanabe, K. Food waste prevention: Lessons from the Love Food, Hate Waste campaign in the UK. In Proceedings of the 16th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, S. Margherita di Pula, Sardinia, Italy, 2017, 2-6. [Online] Available from: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/436354 (Accessed 15 March 2022)

Szulecka, J., Strøm-Andersen, N., Scordato, L., & Skrivervik, E. Multi-level governance of food waste: Comparing Norway, Denmark and Sweden. From Waste to Value: Valorisation Pathways for Organic Waste Streams in Circular Bioeconomies, 2019, (pp. Chapter 13). [Online] Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2600018 (Accessed 10 March 2022)

Li, B., Maclaren, V., & Soma, T. Urban household food waste: drivers and practices in Toronto, Canada. British Food Journal, 2020, 123(5), 1793-1809.

Hebrok, M., & Boks, C. Household food waste: Drivers and potential intervention points for design–An extensive review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 151, 380-392.

Ananda, J., Karunasena, G. G., Mitsis, A., Kansal, M., & Pearson, D. Analysing behavioural and socio-demographic factors and practices influencing Australian household food waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 306, 127280.

Ganglbauer, E., Fitzpatrick, G., & Comber, R. Negotiating food waste: Using a practice lens to inform design. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), 2013, 20(2), 1-25.

Farr-Wharton, G., Foth, M., & Choi, J. H. J. Colour coding the fridge to reduce food waste. Proceedings of the 24th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference, 2012, 119-122.

Corbo, C., & Fraticelli, F. The use of web-based technology as an emerging option for food waste reduction. In Envisioning a future without food waste and food poverty: Societal challenges, 2015, 1-2. Wageningen Academic Publishers.