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Food Waste Reduction: A Test of Three Consumer Awareness Interventions

Author

Listed:
  • Tammara Soma

    (School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC M5S 3G3, Canada)

  • Belinda Li

    (Food Systems Lab, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada)

  • Virginia Maclaren

    (Department of Geography & Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada)

Abstract

Halving food waste by 2050 as per the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 is key to securing a food system that is sustainable. One approach to reducing household food waste is through education campaigns. We recruited 501 households divided into three types of intervention groups and compared with a control group to better understand the efficacy of diverse education campaign approaches. Food waste interventions included a passive approach (handouts), a community engagement approach, and a gamification approach. We conducted waste audits, household surveys (pre- and post-intervention), and a focus group at the end of the campaign. The passive and gamification groups had similarly high levels of participation, while participation in the community group was very low. The passive group and the gamification group had higher self-reported awareness of food wasting after the campaign and lower food wastage than the control group. Waste audits found marginally significant differences between the game group and the control ( p = 0.07) and no difference between the other campaign groups and the control group in edible food wasted. Frequent gamers were found to generate less edible food waste than infrequent gamers. We conclude that the evidence about the potential for gamification as an effective education change tool is promising and we recommend further study.

Suggested Citation

  • Tammara Soma & Belinda Li & Virginia Maclaren, 2020. "Food Waste Reduction: A Test of Three Consumer Awareness Interventions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:907-:d:313222
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    5. Aleksander Buczacki & Bartłomiej Gładysz & Erika Palmer, 2021. "HoReCa Food Waste and Sustainable Development Goals—A Systemic View," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-16, May.
    6. Haley Everitt & Paul van der Werf & Jamie A. Seabrook & Jason A. Gilliland, 2023. "The Proof Is in the Pudding: Using a Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Long-Term Effectiveness of a Household Food Waste Reduction Intervention During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 881-898, June.
    7. Lubis, D. & Dewi, M.R. & Asmara, A., 2024. "Determinants of food waste behavior on Muslim Generation Z in Padang City, Indonesia," ASEAN University for Sustainable Food System, Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, April 18-19, 2024 344459, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
    8. Mirela Stanciu & Agatha Popescu & Iuliana Antonie & Camelia Sava & Bogdan Gabriel Nistoreanu, 2022. "Good Practices on Reducing Food Waste Throughout the Food Supply Chain," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(60), pages 566-566, April.
    9. Maria Elena Latino & Marta Menegoli & Fulvio Signore & Maria Chiara De Lorenzi, 2023. "The Potential of Gamification for Social Sustainability: Meaning and Purposes in Agri-Food Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    10. Papargyropoulou, Effie & Fearnyough, Kate & Spring, Charlotte & Antal, Lucy, 2022. "The future of surplus food redistribution in the UK: Reimagining a ‘win-win’ scenario," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    11. Tsung-Yin Ou & Guan-Yu Lin & Chin-Ying Liu & Wen-Lung Tsai, 2021. "Constructing a Sustainable and Dynamic Promotion Model for Fresh Foods Based on a Digital Transformation Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-19, September.
    12. Thanos Ioannou & Katerina Bazigou & Afroditi Katsigianni & Michalis Fotiadis & Christina Chroni & Thrassyvoulos Manios & Ioannis Daliakopoulos & Christos Tsompanidis & Eleni Michalodimitraki & Katia L, 2022. "The “A2UFood Training Kit”: Participatory Workshops to Minimize Food Loss and Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-24, February.
    13. Panpan Zhang & Dan Zhang & Shengkui Cheng, 2020. "The Effect of Consumer Perception on Food Waste Behavior of Urban Households in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-14, July.
    14. Sahar Ahmadzadeh & Tahmina Ajmal & Ramakrishnan Ramanathan & Yanqing Duan, 2023. "A Comprehensive Review on Food Waste Reduction Based on IoT and Big Data Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    15. Celia Burgaz & Vanessa Gorasso & Wouter M. J. Achten & Carolina Batis & Luciana Castronuovo & Adama Diouf & Gershim Asiki & Boyd A. Swinburn & Mishel Unar-Munguía & Brecht Devleesschauwer & Gary Sacks, 2023. "The effectiveness of food system policies to improve nutrition, nutrition-related inequalities and environmental sustainability: a scoping review," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(5), pages 1313-1344, October.
    16. Paz Fernández & Matías Ceacero-Moreno, 2021. "Study of the Training of Environmentalists through Gamification as A University Course," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    17. Kanwal Gul & Syeda Fasih & Swapnil Morande & Muhammad Ramish, 2024. "Participatory Visual Methods and Artificial Intelligence-Driven Analysis for Sustainable Consumption Insights," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-15, August.
    18. Victoria Norton & Stella Lignou & Omobolanle O. Oloyede & Geraldine Vásquez & Paulina Anguiano Arreola & Niki Alexi, 2024. "Exploring Food Waste from a Segmentation and Intervention Perspective—What Design Cues Matter? A Narrative Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-13, August.
    19. Claudia Giordano & Gianluca Di Fiore & Fabrizio Alboni & Elisa Carloni & Sergio Rivaroli & Luca Falasconi, 2023. "Household Food Waste Awareness in Relation to Motivations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-14, July.
    20. Tanzila Akmal & Faisal Jamil, 2021. "Assessing Health Damages from Improper Disposal of Solid Waste in Metropolitan Islamabad–Rawalpindi, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.

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