IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i3p907-d313222.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/907/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/907/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Reynolds, Christian & Goucher, Liam & Quested, Tom & Bromley, Sarah & Gillick, Sam & Wells, Victoria K. & Evans, David & Koh, Lenny & Carlsson Kanyama, Annika & Katzeff, Cecilia & Svenfelt, Åsa & Jack, 2019. "Review: Consumption-stage food waste reduction interventions – What works and how to design better interventions," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 7-27.
    2. 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.
    3. Johnson, Daniel & Horton, Ella & Mulcahy, Rory & Foth, Marcus, 2017. "Gamification and serious games within the domain of domestic energy consumption: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 249-264.
    4. Danyi Qi & Brian E Roe, 2016. "Household Food Waste: Multivariate Regression and Principal Components Analyses of Awareness and Attitudes among U.S. Consumers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(7), pages 1-19, July.
    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. Claudia Giordano & Silvio Franco, 2021. "Household Food Waste from an International Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-9, May.
    2. Vera Amicarelli & Brian E. Roe & Christian Bux, 2022. "Measuring Food Loss and Waste Costs in the Italian Potato Chip Industry Using Material Flow Cost Accounting," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, April.
    3. 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.
    4. 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).
    5. 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).
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Danica Jobson & Gamithri Gayana Karunasena & Nazia Nabi & David Pearson & Emily Dunstan, 2024. "A Systematic Review of Pre-Post Studies Testing Behaviour Change Interventions to Reduce Consumer Food Waste in the Household," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-31, February.
    13. Silvia Lisciani & Emanuela Camilli & Stefania Marconi, 2024. "Enhancing Food and Nutrition Literacy: A Key Strategy for Reducing Food Waste and Improving Diet Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, February.
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. 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.
    17. 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.
    18. 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.
    19. 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.
    20. 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.

    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. Efrat Elimelech & Eyal Ert & Ofira Ayalon, 2019. "Exploring the Drivers behind Self-Reported and Measured Food Wastage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Chen Liu & Trung Thang Nguyen, 2020. "Evaluation of Household Food Waste Generation in Hanoi and Policy Implications towards SDGs Target 12.3," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-20, August.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Qi, Danyi & Li, Ran & Penn, Jerrod & Houghtaling, Bailey & Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon & Roe, Brian E., 2022. "Nudging greater vegetable intake and less food waste: A field experiment," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    6. Matteo Vittuari & Luca Falasconi & Matteo Masotti & Simone Piras & Andrea Segrè & Marco Setti, 2020. "‘Not in My Bin’: Consumer’s Understanding and Concern of Food Waste Effects and Mitigating Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-23, July.
    7. Esther Landells & Anjum Naweed & David H. Pearson & Gamithri G. Karunasena & Samuel Oakden, 2022. "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Using Post-Kerbside Organics Treatment Systems to Engage Australian Communities with Pro-Environmental Household Food Waste Behaviours," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    8. 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.
    9. Noora Sirola & Ulla-Maija Sutinen & Elina Närvänen & Nina Mesiranta & Malla Mattila, 2019. "Mottainai!—A Practice Theoretical Analysis of Japanese Consumers’ Food Waste Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-14, November.
    10. Ovidija Eičaitė & Gitana Alenčikienė & Ingrida Pauliukaitytė & Alvija Šalaševičienė, 2021. "Eat or Throw Away? Factors Differentiating High Food Wasters from Low Food Wasters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-16, September.
    11. Ghinea Valentina Mihaela & Cantaragiu Ramona Elena & Ghinea Mihalache, 2020. "FEED - Modeling the relationship between education and food waste," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 755-768, July.
    12. Sarra Jribi & Hanen Ben Ismail & Darine Doggui & Hajer Debbabi, 2020. "COVID-19 virus outbreak lockdown: What impacts on household food wastage?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 3939-3955, June.
    13. Claudia Giordano & Fabrizio Alboni & Luca Falasconi, 2019. "Quantities, Determinants, and Awareness of Households’ Food Waste in Italy: A Comparison between Diary and Questionnaires Quantities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-15, June.
    14. Lucie K. Ozanne & Paul W. Ballantine & Aimee McMaster, 2022. "Understanding Food Waste Produced by University Students: A Social Practice Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    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. S. Wiley Wakeman & George Tsalis & Birger Boutrup Jensen & Jessica Aschemann-Witzel, 2022. "Seeing the Issue Differently (Or Not At All): How Bounded Ethicality Complicates Coordination Towards Sustainability Goals," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(2), pages 325-338, June.
    17. George Tsalis & Birger Boutrup Jensen & S. Wiley Wakeman & Jessica Aschemann-Witzel, 2021. "Promoting Food for the Trash Bin? A Review of the Literature on Retail Price Promotions and Household-Level Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, April.
    18. Ganguly, Subhamoy & Robb, David J., 2022. "An analytical model to characterize consumption and wastage of fresh fruit and vegetables in households," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 300(1), pages 151-163.
    19. Jessica Aschemann‐Witzel & Ana Giménez & Alice Grønhøj & Gastón Ares, 2020. "Avoiding household food waste, one step at a time: The role of self‐efficacy, convenience orientation, and the good provider identity in distinct situational contexts," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 581-606, June.
    20. Elizabeth A. Minton & Kathryn A. Johnson & Maricarmen Vizcaino & Christopher Wharton, 2020. "Is it godly to waste food? How understanding consumers' religion can help reduce consumer food waste," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 1246-1269, December.

    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:907-:d:313222. 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.