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Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
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Understanding Consumers' Food Waste Reduction Behavior-A Study Based on Extended Norm Activation Theory
Jingjing Wang1, Mingyue Li1, Sinan Li1
1School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
Summary
Consumers can reduce food waste when dining out, driven by a sense of responsibility and self-belief. These factors activate personal norms, significantly influencing intentions to reduce food waste.
Area of Science:
- Consumer Behavior
- Environmental Psychology
- Social Norms Theory
Background:
- Food waste is a significant global issue, particularly in the food service sector.
- Understanding the psychological drivers of consumer food waste reduction behavior is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychological factors influencing consumers' food waste reduction behavior when dining out.
- To test a research framework based on norm activation theory.
Main Methods:
- A survey of 514 consumers in China using an online platform.
- Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Ascription of responsibility and self-efficacy positively influenced personal norms.
- Personal norm and self-efficacy significantly predicted behavior intentions to reduce food waste.
- Self-efficacy had the strongest impact on personal norm and behavior intentions.
Conclusions:
- Emotional factors, like responsibility and self-efficacy, are more potent in activating personal norms for food waste reduction than cognitive awareness.
- Restaurants can implement strategies like information interventions and portion size adjustments to encourage waste reduction.
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