New research has compared whether food waste is reduced more by consumers who are driven by sustainability or those driven by nutrition and health. With somewhat unexpected findings, the study highlights the need to reconsider our approach to addressing the issue of food waste.
According to the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) 2024 Food Waste Index Report, 19% of food available to consumers in 2022 was wasted at the retail, food service, and household level. That’s 1.05 billion tons of food waste. Meanwhile, in the same year, 783 million people went hungry, and a third of the world’s population faced food insecurity.
To ascertain what methods were better at reducing household food waste, researchers from the Center for Global Food and Resources in the School of Economics and Public Policy at The University of Adelaide, South Australia, looked at the difference between consumer food choices based on either sustainability or nutrition and health. Their findings were interesting and somewhat counterintuitive.
“The idea that sustainability-conscious consumers would also waste less food seems logical,” said Dr Trang Thi Thu Nguyen, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University and the study’s lead and corresponding author. “After all, they actively seek out ethical and environmentally friendly products. However, those who prioritize sustainability often focus on choosing environmentally friendly products but do not necessarily translate that concern into waste-reducing behaviors.”
The researchers recruited 1,030 adults to participate in an online survey that explored aspects of household food consumption behavior. They were asked, “It is important to me that the food I consume:”, followed by eight items related to nutrition or sustainability, which they had to rate using a seven-point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. For example, a nutrition-related question was, “It is important to me that the food I consume: Keeps me healthy,” whereas a sustainability-related question was, “It is important to me that the food I consume: Is packaged in an environmentally friendly way.” After participants were given a clear definition of food waste and a list of food waste categories, they were asked to estimate their total food waste volume.
After analyzing the data, the researchers observed that a focus on nutrition had a significant and negative relationship with food waste. Further, being nutrition-focused also had a significant and positive relationship with meal planning behavior, and a significant and negative relationship with over-purchasing.
“People who prioritize healthy eating tend to plan meals and avoid over-purchasing behaviors that significantly reduce food waste,” Nguyen said.
The researchers said their findings show that a shift in thinking is needed if food waste is to be tackled effectively on a societal level.
“Rather than focusing on sustainability as a standalone concept, future food waste reduction campaigns should emphasize the link between nutrition and food waste,” said Nguyen. “People are often more motivated by personal health benefits than by abstract environmental concerns, so framing waste reduction as part of a healthy lifestyle could be more persuasive.”
However, the researchers note that their study has also highlighted what can be done at the household level to minimize food waste.
“Not only will this help households reduce the thousands of dollars lost to food waste each year – which is crucial in a cost-of-living crisis – but it will also promote healthier eating habits,” Nguyen said. “Ultimately, the key to a more sustainable food system might not be just about choosing the right products, it’s about how we manage, prepare, and consume them.”
The study was published in the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
Source: The University of Adelaide
