Avoiding food becoming waste in households [Elektronisk resurs] The role of packaging in consumers’ practices across different food categories

• Food wastage in households remains a sustainability challenge that poses both environmental and social problems. Among the many factors contributing to this problem, the packaging, including its design and functions, can either leverage or reduce food waste. Yet packaging is often considered an environmental villain, which can lead to missed opportunities for reducing food waste. Against this background, this study explored and quantified the packaging–food waste relationship in households. To explore this relationship, a multi-step method was applied to grasp the role of packaging in consumers’ everyday practices and routines. The method incorporated a questionnaire, food waste diary and in-depth interview to measure food waste across different food categories and explore the underlying reasons for food wastage. According to an analysis of 37 households, packaging played a significant role especially in bread, dairy, meat and staple food wastage. For countering this problem, the most important factors related to packaging are its size and display of detailed information about product safety and storage. This study's theoretical contribution lies in offering a service lens and an ‘outside-in’ approach for exploring the consumer's value creation process and providing a context for better understanding why food wastage occurs in households. For policymakers and packaging designers, this study provides new insights into the relationship between consumer food practices and packaging, thus informing future food waste reduction initiatives. 

Ämnesord

Natural Sciences  (hsv)

Earth and Related Environmental Sciences  (hsv)

Environmental Sciences  (hsv)

Naturvetenskap  (hsv)

Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap  (hsv)

Miljövetenskap  (hsv)

Miljö- och energisystem  (kau)

Environmental and Energy Systems  (kau)

Environmental Science  (kau)

Miljövetenskap  (kau)

Genre

government publication  (marcgt)

Indexterm och SAB-rubrik

Behaviour

Food waste

Household

Packaging

Packaging function

Service

Chemical contamination

Surveys

Sustainable development

In-depth interviews

Multi step methods

Packaging designers

Policy makers

Product safety

Social problems

Value creation process

Waste reduction