Household food waste: what to expect from midwest Brazilians’ intention

Abstract

The article deals with a relevant theme regarding problems related to food supply. The losses accounted at production process and consumer food waste justify research on the subject. The purpose of this paper is to explain food waste intention using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical lens. In addition to measuring the influence of attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control on intention, additional constructs were introduced into the model. Affect, planning routines, food surplus, and environmental concerns were incorporated to fit a logistic regression model, presenting the probability of food waste occurrence as a proxy for the probability of intention to waste. An online questionnaire was developed to collect data from consumers in the Midwest of Brazil. The sample consisted of 419 responses. As a result, it was found that food waste occurred more in affluent households, fewer in number, better categorized as “waste people” by family and friends, and less adept at reusing leftovers or saving food. In general, the affective memory related to food corroborates the desire for an abundant table, making waste acceptable. This information is useful for the construction of action plans, public and private, aimed at behavioral changes related to waste.