review · Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy
Household food waste generates enormous environmental and social costs globally, and cutting this waste by a quarter could feed hundreds of millions of undernourished people. This systematic review evaluated 42 studies across 17 countries to understand domestic food waste habits through the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework. The analysis shows that an intersection of factors, including personal attitudes, subjective social norms, and perceived control over one's behaviour, shapes how households manage food waste. To curb waste successfully, interventions must take an integrated approach that addresses these behavioural components simultaneously. The evidence also highlights that programmes must be tailored to demographic and socioeconomic variations rather than relying on one-size-fits-all measures. Public education aimed at mindful consumption, alongside robust policies and community-led programmes, offers a viable pathway to reduce domestic food waste significantly.
Household food waste places a huge financial, social, and ecological burden on global resources. By identifying the psychological and social drivers behind domestic wasting habits, this research helps policymakers and community organisers design targeted programmes that encourage mindful consumption, lower municipal waste burdens, and support broader efforts to improve food security.
The findings can inform the design of consumer-facing public awareness campaigns, municipal waste prevention programmes, and community-level initiatives. Because the work is an academic systematic review analysing existing behavioural studies, it sits at an early, conceptual stage rather than offering a direct commercial technology or market-ready product.
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Globally, household food waste alone accounts for about $700 billion in environmental costs owing to the resources expended in producing discarded or uneaten food, along with social costs reaching approximately $900 billion. Reducing this waste by 25% could potentially feed 821 million chronically undernourished individuals. This systematic review examines household food waste behaviour using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed and EMBASE using Elsevier supplemented by additional articles from the reference lists. The procedure followed the PRISMA flowchart. A descriptive analysis was conducted to summarize the characteristics of the 42 included studies from 17 countries. Significantly, 95% of these articles were published between 1 January 2010 and 19 April 2024, in Scimago Q1 ranked journals. The findings demonstrate an intersection of TPB components in explaining household food waste behaviour. This study suggests that a holistic strategy targeting attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control is essential for effectively reducing household food waste. Additionally, tailored interventions that consider demographic and socioeconomic factors are necessary to address the diverse needs of different populations. The study concludes that public education targeting mindful consumption, effective policies and community initiatives can significantly reduce food waste.
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DOI: 10.1177/0734242x241285423
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