IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i3p1162-d317148.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Tensions and Opportunities: An Activity Theory Perspective on Date and Storage Label Design through a Literature Review and Co-Creation Sessions

Author

Listed:
  • Wanjun Chu

    (Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

  • Helén Williams

    (Service Research Center and Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden)

  • Karli Verghese

    (School of Design, RMIT University, 3001 Melbourne, Australia)

  • Renee Wever

    (Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

  • Wiktoria Glad

    (Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

Abstract

On-pack date and storage labeling is one of the direct information carriers used by the food industry to communicate product shelf-life attributes to consumers. However, it is also one of the major factors that contribute to consumer food waste issues. This study aims to systematically understand the existing tensions within the current date and storage labeling system and explore the potential opportunities for design to intervene. First, we conducted a literature review to identify tensions that the consumer encounters in their food edibility assessment system and summarize the corresponding proposal for actions. 12 tensions and 16 proposals for action were identified and further framed according to a conceptual model developed in this study. Following this, the literature findings were refined and grounded in co-creation sessions in consumer workshops and industry practitioner interviews to develop specific labeling-related design implications. The findings indicate the importance of investigating the role that date and storage labeling play from a system level. Furthermore, we suggest that the conceptual model developed in this study can be used not only as a framework that guides researchers to identify and analyze labeling-related food waste problems that each individual consumer encounters, but also as a guideline that assists packaging design practitioners in exploring potential design opportunities to solve the problem from a system perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Wanjun Chu & Helén Williams & Karli Verghese & Renee Wever & Wiktoria Glad, 2020. "Tensions and Opportunities: An Activity Theory Perspective on Date and Storage Label Design through a Literature Review and Co-Creation Sessions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-37, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:1162-:d:317148
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/1162/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/1162/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alba J. Collart & Matthew G. Interis, 2018. "Consumer Imperfect Information in the Market for Expired and Nearly Expired Foods and Implications for Reducing Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Anneli Selvefors & I. C. MariAnne Karlsson & Ulrike Rahe, 2015. "Conflicts in Everyday Life: The Influence of Competing Goals on Domestic Energy Conservation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Fredrik Wikström & Karli Verghese & Rafael Auras & Annika Olsson & Helén Williams & Renee Wever & Kaisa Grönman & Marit Kvalvåg Pettersen & Hanne Møller & Risto Soukka, 2019. "Packaging Strategies That Save Food: A Research Agenda for 2030," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(3), pages 532-540, June.
    4. Hall-Phillips, Adrienne & Shah, Purvi, 2017. "Unclarity confusion and expiration date labels in the United States: A consumer perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 118-126.
    5. Fredrik Wikström & Helén Williams & Jakob Trischler & Zane Rowe, 2019. "The Importance of Packaging Functions for Food Waste of Different Products in Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, May.
    6. Jessica Aschemann-Witzel & Ilona De Hooge & Pegah Amani & Tino Bech-Larsen & Marije Oostindjer, 2015. "Consumer-Related Food Waste: Causes and Potential for Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-21, May.
    7. Bernhard Wohner & Erik Pauer & Victoria Heinrich & Manfred Tacker, 2019. "Packaging-Related Food Losses and Waste: An Overview of Drivers and Issues," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sophie Langley & Nhat Tram Phan-Le & Linda Brennan & Lukas Parker & Michaela Jackson & Caroline Francis & Simon Lockrey & Karli Verghese & Natalia Alessi, 2021. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Food Packaging and Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Azucena Gracia & Miguel I. Gómez, 2020. "Food Sustainability and Waste Reduction in Spain: Consumer Preferences for Local, Suboptimal, And/Or Unwashed Fresh Food Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Babak Nemat & Mohammad Razzaghi & Kim Bolton & Kamran Rousta, 2020. "The Potential of Food Packaging Attributes to Influence Consumers’ Decisions to Sort Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-22, March.
    3. Sophie Langley & Nhat Tram Phan-Le & Linda Brennan & Lukas Parker & Michaela Jackson & Caroline Francis & Simon Lockrey & Karli Verghese & Natalia Alessi, 2021. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Food Packaging and Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    4. Magdalena Ankiel & Urszula Samotyja, 2020. "The Role of Labels and Perceived Health Risk in Avoidable Food Wasting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Zeng, Tian & Durif, Fabien & Robinot, Elisabeth, 2021. "Can eco-design packaging reduce consumer food waste? an experimental study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    6. Luca Secondi, 2019. "Expiry Dates, Consumer Behavior, and Food Waste: How Would Italian Consumers React If There Were No Longer “Best Before” Labels?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Azzurra Annunziata & Massimiliano Agovino & Aniello Ferraro & Angela Mariani, 2020. "Household Food Waste: A Case Study in Southern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-13, February.
    8. Izabela Karolina Horoś & Tonia Ruppenthal, 2021. "Avoidance of Food Waste from a Grocery Retail Store Owner’s Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-22, January.
    9. Shah, Purvi, 2020. "Managing customer reactions to brand deletion in B2B and B2C contexts," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    10. Ahmad Aiman Zulkifli & Mohd Zulkhairi Mohd Yusoff & Latifah Abd Manaf & Mohd Rafein Zakaria & Ahmad Muhaimin Roslan & Hidayah Ariffin & Yoshihito Shirai & Mohd Ali Hassan, 2019. "Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Generation in Universiti Putra Malaysia and Its Potential for Green Energy Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-15, July.
    11. Francesca Goodman-Smith & Romain Mirosa & Miranda Mirosa, 2020. "Understanding the Effect of Dining and Motivational Factors on Out-Of-Home Consumer Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-15, August.
    12. Benjamin Scheibehenne & Jutta Mata & David Richter, 2018. "Accuracy of Food Preference Predictions in Couples," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1003, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    13. Jingjing Wang & Mingyue Li & Sinan Li & Kai Chen, 2022. "Understanding Consumers’ Food Waste Reduction Behavior—A Study Based on Extended Norm Activation Theory," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-15, April.
    14. Ghosh, R.K. & Eriksson, M. & Istamov, A., 2018. "Food waste due to coercive power in agri-food chains: Evidence from Sweden," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277496, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. René Audet & Éliane Brisebois, 2019. "The Social Production of Food Waste at the Retail-Consumption Interface," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-18, July.
    16. Valentina Erasmo, 2023. "“Usus pauper”: how early Franciscan economic thought might offer a contribution to the debate about food waste," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 70(3), pages 323-339, September.
    17. Ting Yue & Ruyin Long & Junli Liu & Haiwen Liu & Hong Chen, 2019. "Empirical Study on Households’ Energy-Conservation Behavior of Jiangsu Province in China: The Role of Policies and Behavior Results," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-16, March.
    18. Clara Cicatiello & Luca Secondi & Ludovica Principato, 2019. "Investigating Consumers’ Perception of Discounted Suboptimal Products at Retail Stores," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-10, July.
    19. Antonella Cammarelle & Mariarosaria Lombardi & Rosaria Viscecchia, 2021. "Packaging Innovations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Are Italian Manufacturers Willing to Invest?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    20. Principato, Ludovica & Secondi, Luca & Cicatiello, Clara & Mattia, Giovanni, 2022. "Caring more about food: The unexpected positive effect of the Covid-19 lockdown on household food management and waste," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:1162-:d:317148. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.