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Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Household Food Waste Behavior in Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Kun Qian

    (Institute of Decision Science for a Sustainable Society, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
    Research Department, Kyushu Open University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan)

  • Firouzeh Javadi

    (Institute of Decision Science for a Sustainable Society, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan)

  • Michikazu Hiramatsu

    (Institute of Decision Science for a Sustainable Society, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan
    Research Department, Kyushu Open University, Fukuoka 8190395, Japan)

Abstract

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had various influences on people’s ordinary lives, including their thoughts and behaviors related to food consumption. Food waste has been cited as a serious issue with environmental, social, and economic consequences. In this study, we investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic altered the social consciousness and behavior related to food waste in Japan. We conducted a nationwide online-based survey and collected a cross-sectional dataset from 1959 adult respondents. The results showed that people in regions highly impacted by the pandemic reported a clearer understanding of the situation of their household food waste, more careful food preparation and purchasing, and were more strongly influenced to change their behaviors due to COVID-19. Further analyses revealed that thoughts and behaviors related to food waste significantly differed by sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender, household size, and employment status. This study also implied that the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged some improvements in peoples’ behaviors and thoughts with regard to food, such as paying attention to food waste, making efforts to reduce food waste, and attempting cooking by themselves at home.

Suggested Citation

  • Kun Qian & Firouzeh Javadi & Michikazu Hiramatsu, 2020. "Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Household Food Waste Behavior in Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:23:p:9942-:d:452441
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    7. Teresa Rubio-Tomás & Maria Skouroliakou & Dimitrios Ntountaniotis, 2022. "Lockdown Due to COVID-19 and Its Consequences on Diet, Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Other Aspects of Daily Life Worldwide: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-41, June.
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    9. Zheng, Qiujie & Gao, Zhifeng & Berry, Kevin, 2023. "Factors affecting household food waste behavior during COVID-19: Shopping behavior, cooking behavior, food security, and household characteristics," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335672, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    10. Berta Vidal-Mones & Héctor Barco & Raquel Diaz-Ruiz & Maria-Angeles Fernandez-Zamudio, 2021. "Citizens’ Food Habit Behavior and Food Waste Consequences during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, March.
    11. Theodoridis, Prokopis K. & Zacharatos, Theofanis V., 2022. "Food waste during Covid- 19 lockdown period and consumer behaviour – The case of Greece," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    12. Lingfei Wang & Yuqin Yang & Guoyan Wang, 2022. "The Clean Your Plate Campaign: Resisting Table Food Waste in an Unstable World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    13. Agnieszka Dudziak & Monika Stoma & Arkadiusz J. Derkacz, 2022. "Circular Economy in the Context of Food Losses and Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-21, August.
    14. Xiangdong Shen & Junbin Wang & Li Wang & Chunlan Jiao, 2023. "Forecasting the different influencing factors of household food waste behavior in China under the COVID‐19 pandemic," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(8), pages 2322-2340, December.
    15. Chen Liu & Pongsun Bunditsakulchai & Qiannan Zhuo, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Food and Plastic Waste Generated by Consumers in Bangkok," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-21, August.
    16. Mirza Marvel Cequea & Jessika Milagros Vásquez Neyra & Valentina Gomes Haensel Schmitt & Marcos Ferasso, 2021. "Household Food Consumption and Wastage during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Comparison between Peru and Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-22, July.

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