Circular economy and consumer action: The role of apps in reducing food waste and shaping consumer behavior

Empirical studies on how people perceive Circular Economy (CE) concept and how they engage in circular practices are scarce. In this research, we explored the users of food waste reduction platforms, i.e., their understanding about CE, motivation for using apps that sell surplus food or close to expiry date, and opportunities for improvement. We considered two apps, which adopt circular business models (i.e., digitalization, sharing platform and resource recovery) in Brazil. The methodology included semi-structured interviews and involved 26 participants who use the apps. The results revealed mainly high-income people as consumers, indicating an opportunity to expand and promote the apps to low-income people, increasing social benefits. Regarding understanding of CE, most participants emphasised the social dimension. Novel circular behavior practices were identified including supporting small and local businesses and social-related efforts (e.g., sharing knowledge on CE strategies). The main influencing factors at purchase, either in app or in-person shopping, are price and product quality. The most frequent habit was keeping track of the food stored in the household. We concluded that the apps could enhance their contribution towards CE and sustainable consumption, by raising awareness about their benefits, evaluating the impacts avoided, and expanding publicity to attract more users.