Understanding the Effect of Dining and Motivational Factors on Out-Of-Home Consumer Food Waste

Abstract

Approximately 12% of total food waste is generated at the hospitality and food service level. Previous research has focused on kitchen and storeroom operations; however, 34% of food waste in the sector is uneaten food on consumers’ plates, known as “plate waste”. The effect of situational dining factors and motivational factors on plate waste was analysed in a survey of 1001 New Zealand consumers. A statistically significantly greater proportion (p < 0.05) of participants reported plate waste if the meal was more expensive, longer in duration or at dinnertime. Irrespective of age or gender, saving money was the most important motivating factor, followed by saving hungry people, saving the planet and, lastly, preventing guilt. Successful food waste reduction campaigns will frame reduction as a cost-saving measure. As awareness of the environmental and social costs of food waste builds, multifactorial campaigns appealing to economic, environmental and social motivators will be most effective.

Sustainable Preparation Behavior for Kitchen Staff in Order to Limit Food Waste

“…Based on social cognitive theory in the context of food waste, females were more cognitively advanced than males. Females more closely monitored the reduction of food waste, so they were more motivated [ 71 ]. This contributed to their identification of more motivational factors that could have had a positive effect on their behavior.…”

Consumer attitudes towards leftover food takeout interventions: a case study of the doggy bag in Japan

“…In New Zealand, Miranda et al (2018) demonstrated that 84% of the restaurant consumers agreed to use the option of leftover food takeout but when faced with a half-eaten meal situation, only 5% of the consumers dared to exercise the option. Smith et al (2020) showed that more food on the plate was wasted if the meal was expensive, if the food consumption duration was longer and during dinner time. They further pointed out that consumers were largely motivated to reduce plate waste to save money and to contribute to social and environmental issues related to food, hence underlining the role of restaurants to motivate consumers to reduce plate waste when eating out.…”