Food waste as the consequence of competing motivations, lack of opportunities, and insufficient abilities

Abstract

This study explores the motivations, opportunities, and abilities that consumers have for reducing food waste in everyday contexts that involve competing (food-related) goals. The framework of motivations, opportunities, and abilities is used to disentangle the complex array of factors that contribute to food waste. Results from 24 focus groups conducted in four European countries reveal that household food waste is the unintended result of balancing multiple competing goals. The results also indicate that abilities and opportunities influence the ease with which consumers can reduce food waste and act upon other goals (to which they assign greater value). These insights imply that, in addition to strengthening the importance that consumers attach to reducing food waste, interventions should focus on providing opportunities and abilities that will enable consumers to comply with multiple goals, including food-waste reduction.