From the shopping basket to the landfill: Drivers of consumer food waste behaviour

Abstract

The EU, where nearly 57 million tonnes of food waste are generated annually, has set a target to halve this amount by 2030. However, the amount of food waste produced varies greatly between EU countries. While several EU countries are far from reaching this target, the Czech Republic already meets it. Despite this, little to no attention is paid to Czech consumers' food waste behaviour. This study responds to the unfulfilled need by drawing attention to food waste and its reduction, and possibly even serving as a model example for the EU target. We identify key factors influencing food waste by conducting a survey with 1,551 respondents on stated preferences. The results using the PLS-SEM approach show that the price of food does not have as great an impact on the level of food waste as its characteristics or planning, which is part of consumers' purchasing behaviour. Furthermore, consumers' attitudes and awareness of food waste reduce food losses. The causes of food waste remain decidedly similar before and during the pandemic COVID-19, except that people paid more attention to food attributes during the pandemic. Product attributes are an essential part of decision-making, especially for women and people with higher levels of education. We conclude that it is desirable to sufficiently educate and teach consumers to properly plan their consumption and better estimate the amount of food needed when shopping, which should be a conscious decision rather than an impulsive one.