Consumer adaptability to less desirable food in retail and household contexts

Summary

Food waste, especially in households, is a global challenge. This thesis
investigates how retail activities influence consumer behaviors related to food
waste at home and explores food sharing as a strategy to redistribute food and
reduce waste. The focus is on less desirable food, such as near-expired, surplus, oddly shaped, and packaging-damaged items, as these are more likely to
be wasted. The findings reveal that messages about food waste avoidance, even without discounts, increase consumers’ willingness to buy near-expired food without reducing their waste prevention behaviors at home. In the case of surprise
bags, how people handle the included items depends on how much they like the
item and their purchase motives. Regarding food sharing, while consumers hesitate to share suboptimal food because they anticipate recipient to respond negatively, recipients do not mind receiving it as much as givers anticipate. An effective intervention encouraging consumers to share less desirable food is further proposed. These insights contribute to the ongoing efforts to reduce food waste and support sustainability.