Using social norms to reduce plate waste in corporate dining

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Environmental Sustainability
• Food Service Management

Background:

• Food waste presents a significant global challenge, contributing to carbon emissions and economic losses.
• Corporate dining facilities, due to their operational scale, are critical environments for implementing food waste reduction strategies.
• Consumer plate waste is a substantial component of overall food waste in these settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the application of behavioral science principles to reduce plate waste in a corporate dining context.
• To develop and test interventions based on social norms and portion prompting.
• To quantify the impact of these interventions on actual food waste generation.

Main Methods:

• A global survey was conducted to understand social norms related to food waste.
• Social norms-based messaging and portion prompting signage were developed.
• Difference-in-difference randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were implemented across six global sites.
• Advanced waste tracking technology monitored 13,150 meals to measure plate waste.

Main Results:

• Social norms messaging effectively communicated waste reduction as a shared employee value.
• The combined interventions (social norms messaging and portion prompting) led to a significant reduction in plate waste.
• Plate waste was reduced by an estimated 31% compared to baseline or control conditions.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral science interventions are effective and scalable tools for reducing plate waste in corporate dining.
• These methods provide a cost-effective approach to mitigate environmental impact and operational costs associated with food waste.
• The study demonstrates the successful application of psychological principles in a real-world corporate setting to promote sustainable practices.