Reducing Food Waste in Chinese University Canteens: the Role of Information and Commitment

This study examines the effects of two interventions—information and commitment—on food waste behaviors among students in university canteen, along with the underlying socio-psychological mechanisms. The informational intervention involves providing students with details about the environmental impact of food waste, while the commitment intervention encourages students to sign a pledge to reduce waste after receiving similar information. The experiment conducted in two university canteens in China reveals that information alone has a limited effect on students’ food- waste behavior, whereas the combined intervention of information and commitment significantly reduces food waste. Further analysis indicates that the effectiveness of the commitment intervention varied across gender, dining pattern, and policy awareness, highlighting the importance of tailoring future interventions to account for the heterogeneity within the student population. Mechanism analysis identifies three key socio-psychological factors—attitude, subject norms, and perceived behavioral control—that play significant roles in food-waste behaviors. Notably, the interaction between attitude and commitment interventions is positively associated with students’ food waste behavior, likely due to the triggering of students’ psychological reactance, or a backlash effect, as students seemed to rebel against the imposed commitment. This study provides a theoretical foundation for food waste interventions in higher education institutions and highlights the importance of combining strategies, addressing socio-psychological factors, and tailoring approaches to individual and group characteristics.