Environmental antecedents of food and beverage waste reduction using smart packaging technology: Insights from TOE framework

Abstract

Food technology is one of the most important fields of development over the past years, and technological factors have a major role in developing the capabilities of service and hotel institutions and establishments. Smart packaging is also one of the most important innovations developed in the field of food technology and the most important means of identifying the quality of the food product. Accordingly, the research aims to explore the potential role of technological factors influencing the adoption of smart packaging technology in hotel establishments (i.e. perceived advantages, perceived information transparency and perceived compatibility), and then their pivotal impact in maximizing sustainable performance. A random sample of 22 five-star hotels in Sharm El Sheikh was selected, amounting to 318 sample members, and their responses were analyzed using Adanco v.2.2 software. The results found a positive and significant effect for each of (perceived advantages, perceived information transparency and perceived compatibility) on the adoption of smart packaging technology. The results also showed that there is a positive and significant impact of adopting smart packaging technology in maximizing sustainable performance. The adoption of smart packaging technology also partially mediated the relationship between technological factors and sustainable performance. The current research recommends that decision-makers in hospitality establishments should embrace the adoption of emerging innovations in the field of food and beverages, and provide training programs for workers on how to communicate with innovative programs and technology.