FROM PLATE TO PLANET: INVESTIGATING THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE IN DEVELOPING NATIONS

Food waste is a global concern. However, it is more prevalent in certain developing nations, e.g. Saudi Arabia, which threaten economic viability, food security and environmental sustainability. This research builds on theory of planned behavior (TPB) and delves into the roots of high rate of food waste at household level in Saudi Arabia using a survey approach. The data collected from 1572 households were analyzed using SEM-AMOS version 23. The results showed that the most predicator of food waste is the consumption culture. Other predictors included absence of proper shopping plans, favorable attitude towards wasting food, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms and social media. Despite religiosity had a significant negative influence on food waste, it was not enough to reduce food waste due to the significant effects of other factors, e.g. culture, shopping plan and social media. This research extends the TPB and adds to un-derstanding the key predictors of food waste at households. Several implications were, therefore, proposed for policymakers and researchers for managing this growing global concern.