Food waste paradox: antecedents of food disposal in low income households

TLDR

Environmental pressures demand better use of scarce resources, and because most of the world is low‑income, behavioral change in this group could have a large impact. The article seeks to identify antecedents of food waste among lower‑middle class families, a paradox given their financial constraints. Empirical data were gathered from 14 lower‑middle income Brazilian households through observations, in‑depth interviews, photographs, and a focus group of six participants. Five major antecedents—excessive purchasing, over‑preparation, pet care, avoidance of leftovers, and inappropriate food conservation—were identified, with subcategories such as impulse buying, lack of planning, and preference for large packages, and the study found that money‑saving strategies like bulk buying and supermarket shopping actually increase waste, eroding the intended savings.

Abstract

Abstract This article aims to identify antecedents of food waste among lower‐middle class families – a paradox, given the financial constraints this population faces. The importance of this research is evident in escalating environmental pressures for better use of our planet's scarce resources. Given that most of the world is low‐income, any behavioral change in this population is likely to have a considerable impact. Empirical data were collected from 14 lower‐middle income Brazilian households, based on observations, in‐depth interviews, photographs and a focus group ( n = 6). Five major categories of food waste antecedents were identified: (1) excessive purchasing, (2) over‐preparation, (3) caring for a pet, (4) avoidance of leftovers and (5) inappropriate food conservation. Several subcategories were also found, including impulse buying, lack of planning and preference for large packages. Surprisingly, findings show that strategies used to save money – such as buying groceries in bulk, monthly shopping trips, preference for supermarkets and cooking from scratch – actually end up generating more food waste. This mitigates the savings made during the purchasing phase.