Reducing food waste through behavioral economics at the consumption level: evidence from a scoping review and an interventional study

Approximately one-third of all food produced globally, around 1.3 billion tonnes, is wasted each year. In high-income countries, much of this waste occurs at the consumption stage, in households, restaurants, and institutional settings. In Canada, food waste accounts for over $60 billion annually. This thesis investigates the potential of behavioural economics, specifically nudging, as a strategy to reduce food waste through two integrated research components. The first is a four-week intervention conducted in a restaurant in St. John's, NL. The intervention implemented three nudging strategies to encourage customers to reduce waste. Food waste was measured daily through leftover weight and takeout container usage. Results showed a reduction in plate waste and an increase in the number of takeout boxes used. Findings demonstrated that low-cost and non-intrusive nudges can positively influence consumer behavior in food service settings. The second component is a scoping review that examines the global literature on behavioral interventions to reduce food waste at the consumer level. The review identifies a range of strategies, including portion design, incentives and social norm messaging, and summarizes their effectiveness across different settings (e.g., households, restaurants, cafeterias). This research provides practical implications for academic scientists, policymakers, food service providers, and sustainability advocates.