Young Household Intentions to Prevent Food Waste: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Health Belief Model

Abstract

Food waste is a contemporary global issue that obstructs the achievement of many sustainable development goals (SDGs). Despite exponential growth in research related to food waste, there is not enough evidence in developing countries to guide policymakers in creating effective strategies. This research seeks to address the existing research gaps in understanding food waste prevention behavior by utilizing well-known theoretical lenses: the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the health belief model (HBM). The current study examines food waste prevention intentions of Pakistani households. Data was collected from 607 young households through the convenience sampling technique. The study results validated the propositions of TPB and HBM. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical knowledge related to food conservation by uncovering food waste prevention behavior. The study results are useful for practitioners and policymakers.