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Salience and food waste reduction: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

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Listed:
  • Gao, Yuan
  • Lopez, Rigoberto A.
  • Liao, Ruili
  • Liu, Xiaoou

Abstract

This article investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food waste management behavior. By utilizing 1.6 million dining transactions at 87 restaurants in 10 Chinese cities, we find that an average 8.4 percent reduction in plate waste in restaurants associated with new COVID-19 infections at the national level during the pandemic. Further evidence shows that this change in behavior is not permanent, as the level of plate waste tends to revert to pre-pandemic levels once the pandemic came under control. We test several explanations for the empirical findings and conclude that salience bias is the most plausible explanations. This insight into waste management behavior highlights the importance of utilizing salience-friendly policy instruments to effectively implement resource conservation and waste management policy goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Yuan & Lopez, Rigoberto A. & Liao, Ruili & Liu, Xiaoou, 2024. "Salience and food waste reduction: Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:96:y:2024:i:pa:s1059056024005768
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2024.103584
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Waste reduction; Food waste; Salience; Learning; Behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis

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