Every plate counts: Evaluation of a food waste reduction campaign in a university dining hall

Ellison, Brenna; Savchenko, Olesya M.; Nikolaus, Cassandra J.; Duff, Brittany R. L.

doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.01.046

Cited by 96 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency [40], waste reduction can be defined as a set of processes and practices intended to reduce, recycle, and reuse resources or use renewable energy sources. For the foodservice industry, waste reduction during the consumption stage has a significant sustainability role, including environmental conservation and promoting human health and wellbeing [41][42][43]. Providing information about the negative impacts of food waste at landfills to consumers significantly reduces more food waste than not providing the information to consumers [44].…”

Section: Waste Reduction In Foodservicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Climate Change Awareness Predict Pro-Environmental Practices in Restaurants? Comparing High and Low Dining Expenditure

Kim

Hall

2019

Sustainability

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The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of what makes consumers reduce waste in order to address climate change, particularly when dining out. To accomplish this goal, this research constructs an extended theory of planned behavior model, using four main constructs of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention and incorporating climate change awareness and mitigation pursuing actions, anticipated pride and guilt, and high and low levels of dining expenses. An online survey was conducted of 482 respondents aged 20 years old or over who had dined in restaurants in the previous month in 2019. A partial least squares-structural (PLS) equation modeling analysis has been utilized with multi-group analysis. Results reveal that climate change awareness has significant effects on attitude and behavior intention, and climate change mitigation pursuing actions positively influence attitude and behavioral intention to reduce waste. Consumers' anticipated emotions lead to their behavioral intention. Diners' behavioral intention to reduce waste is significantly influenced by their attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on waste reduction in restaurants. The levels of dining expenses significantly moderate seven out of nine hypotheses. Research on consumers' waste reduction in relation to climate change is not sufficiently conducted in the foodservice sector. Using an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand diner behavior related to waste reduction and climate change, this study therefore makes an important contribution to improving sustainability in foodservices, especially in the Asian context. Climate change mitigation is a significant challenge for the restaurant and foodservices sector given its relatively high energy and water use, often significant amounts of food waste, and supply chains that often carry a substantial carbon footprint [11]. To promote climate-friendly practices, longand short-term behavioral and system interventions are needed, which can complement interest among consumers and restaurants for information on food carbon footprints and sustainability [12]. In South Korea (hereafter Korea), such a situation creates some substantial issues as restaurants traditionally serve various side dishes without extra charge per each meal, resulting in substantial food waste [13]. Food waste is expensive for restaurants, as it is calculated by weight and even small restaurants pay upwards of Korean Won (KRW) 800,000 a month (e.g., under a food waste tax of KRW 160 per liter) [14] (US$1 was equivalent to KRW 1147 as of 1 May 2019). Although waste reduction in foodservices is critical for climate change mitigation as well as reducing environmental impacts in general, research has largely neglected examining consumers' attitude and behavior to waste reduction for climate change mitigation reasons in the foodservice industry, particularly in Asian contexts such as Korea.In studies of consumer behavior, the theory of planned...

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Section: Waste Reduction In Foodservicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Climate Change Awareness Predict Pro-Environmental Practices in Restaurants? Comparing High and Low Dining Expenditure

Kim

Hall

2019

Sustainability

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“…Educational programming, among many other things, is an essential aspect of improving food-related behaviors. Programming implemented at university campuses has been shown to impact both student dispositions towards food systems, and actual wasted food [ 16 , 18 , 21 ]. In this study, cafeteria programming that included messaging, discussion tabling, interactive activities, and stark visual examples of wasted food (food waste buffet, Figure 2 ) was correlated with a decrease in student food waste by between 26% and 28%.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cafeterias that have implemented tray-less dining decreased their food waste generation by approximately 30% [ 20 ]. Item-by-item sale (as opposed to open buffet) decreased waste by 14% [ 13 , 21 ]. Plate size has also been shown to correlate positively with food waste [ 22 ]; as a result, many cafeterias have decreased the size of plates offered at buffets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A program including interactive food waste messaging, both in and out of the cafeteria, and food waste buffets, to display the accumulation of student food waste, at University of California, Davis (UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA) even achieved a 50% reduction in food waste after seven years of programming [ 15 ] ( Table 1 ). As eater (as opposed to “consumer”) education has been identified as a primary solution to global food waste, research developing and assessing educational food waste diversion tools is an essential next step towards decreasing food waste [ 3 , 21 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Poised for Change: University Students Are Positively Disposed toward Food Waste Diversion and Decrease Individual Food Waste after Programming

Alattar

Morse

2021

Foods

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Eaters (consumers of food) are responsible for 60% of waste along the food cycle in developed countries. Programs that target individual and household food waste behavior change are essential to addressing such waste. School cafeterias worldwide offer an opportune microcosm in which to educate on food and nutrition skills and change related behavior. No Scrap Left Behind, a cafeteria food waste diversion program, was developed, piloted, and assessed based on measures of both direct and indirect food waste behavior, and attitudes, knowledge, and emotions related to food waste. Participants had positive attitudes towards food waste reduction, engaged in food waste diversion actions, had some knowledge of the impacts of wasted food, and considered their actions important to waste reduction generally. Food waste per student was decreased by 28% over the course of the first year of programming (p = 0.000967), and by 26% in the following year when measured a week before and a week after programming occurred (p = 0.0218). Results indicate that students were poised for food behavior change and that related programming did impact behavior in the short term. Programming may, therefore, help improve student attitudes and skills to develop long-term change as well, although future research should explore this specifically. In comparison with other research on cafeteria programming, results suggest that food waste diversion programming can positively impact students’ dispositions and behaviors, and may be more effective when tailored to the specific population.

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“…This has the advantage of allowing schools to offer more food options and faster service but can result in higher food waste [ 14 ]. Interventions using informational prompts [ 15 , 16 , 17 ], appealing to diners’ social responsibility through cooperation [ 18 , 19 ], encouraging sharing [ 20 ], taking away trays [ 21 ], changing plate shape [ 22 ], and reducing portion amounts [ 23 ] have been implemented with some success in reducing food waste. Further, it is important to note that not all food waste carries the same economic and environmental impact.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Choice and Waste in University Dining Commons—A Menus of Change University Research Collaborative Study

Wiriyaphanich

Guinard

Spang

et al. 2021

Foods

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The purpose of this multi-campus research was to investigate the relationships of food type and personal factors with food choice, consumption, and waste behaviors of college students at all-you-care-to-eat dining facilities. The amount of food taken and wasted was indirectly measured in units relative to the plate size using before and after photos taken by the diners themselves. Animal protein and mixed dishes (e.g., stir fry, sandwich) took up more of diners’ plate space and these items were correlated to both greater hedonic appeal as well as a higher likelihood of the item being pre-plated. Greater confidence in liking an item before choosing it was correlated to a larger portion being taken. Finally, increased satisfaction with the meal and frequency of visiting the dining commons was correlated to less food waste. Understanding these potential food choice drivers can help dining facilities better target healthier meals to diners while reducing food waste.

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Every plate counts: Evaluation of a food waste reduction campaign in a university dining hall

Cited by 96 publications

References 16 publications

Can Climate Change Awareness Predict Pro-Environmental Practices in Restaurants? Comparing High and Low Dining Expenditure

Can Climate Change Awareness Predict Pro-Environmental Practices in Restaurants? Comparing High and Low Dining Expenditure

Poised for Change: University Students Are Positively Disposed toward Food Waste Diversion and Decrease Individual Food Waste after Programming

Food Choice and Waste in University Dining Commons—A Menus of Change University Research Collaborative Study

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