Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

One third of the food produced in the world for human consumption is wasted, amounting to a total of 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year. Food waste occurs both in developed and in developing countries, albeit with different entities; according to FAO estimates, developed countries have a higher incidence of household waste (about 95-115 kg per capita per year) unlike developing countries (6-11 kg per capita per year). The general objective of this paper is to explore consumers’ wasteful behaviour in both developed and developing countries by presenting some empirical evidences on household food waste in Italy and Angola. In Italy results from a quantitative survey conducted with a sample of 300 individuals allowed us to identify three segment of consumers with different wasteful behaviour mainly connected to behavioural factors such as habits and routines in food shopping, moral attitudes towards food waste, and socio-demographics variables. In Angola, a qualitative research conducted with a pilot sample of 20 households allowed us to highlight the main reasons and behaviors that generate food waste. Results provide food for thought for the implementation of strategies for the prevention and the contrast of food waste by promoting changes in individual behaviors.