ABSTRACT

This study frames the household food waste challenge in the microeconomic theory context by proposing a model that considers food waste a consequence of inefficient consumer choices. A data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology was applied to factor consumer’s efficiency level dimension, starting from data collected through a web survey conducted in Italy with a sample of 530 individuals responsible for their households’ food-shopping. The findings confirm that food waste is a complex issue, affected by both behavioural and psychological factors, synthesized in three indices constructed with fuzzy analysis. The results show that the shopping behaviour index generates a higher average efficiency score for food waste minimization than the food waste concerns and moral attitudes indices. Furthermore, those drivers have different efficiency levels in reducing food waste with reference to gender, age, family composition, and educational level. The results have several implications for policymakers: they highlight the need to implement tailored educational and information campaigns that consider the most important targets identified, such as large families with children, young people, and men.

摘要

本研究通过提出一个模型，将食物浪费视为消费者选择低效的结果，从而在微观经济理论背景下构建了家庭食物浪费挑战。数据包络分析 (DEA) 方法被应用于要素消费者的效率水平维度，该方法从通过在意大利进行的网络调查收集的数据开始，样本包括 530 名负责家庭食品购物的个人。研究结果证实，食物浪费是一个复杂的问题，受行为和心理因素的影响，综合在三个由模糊分析构建的指标中。结果表明，购物行为指数对食物浪费最小化产生的平均效率得分高于食物浪费关注和道德态度指数。此外，这些驱动因素在减少食物浪费方面的效率水平因性别、年龄、家庭构成和教育水平而异。结果对决策者有几个影响：它们强调需要实施量身定制的教育和信息宣传活动，考虑已确定的最重要目标，例如有孩子的大家庭、年轻人和男性。