Assessment of Self-reported Food Waste from Households via Two Routes in Pakistan

Abstract

Food loss and waste are consistent threats to food security which, if left unrelieved, may have serious social, economic, and environmental aftermaths. Food waste from consumers is a critical issue which influences the economy and the environment. The resolution of this study is to understand how food waste is influenced by psychological and household routine-related factors and what further research is needed. This study developed a questionnaire and collected data from the consumers in Faisalabad. We conducted data analyses in two stages. At first, the convergent validity and reliability of the measurement scales are tested by executing a preliminary confirmatory factor analysis. Secondly, two proposed models are tested by applying the Structural Equation Model. The outcomes of this study revealed that the pooled model including both psychological and routinized factors proved to be more explanatory as compared to the restricted model. The significant contribution of this study is considering the behavior of consumers which may help to ensure the implementation of food waste reduction campaigns.