Wasting nature’s harvest: Understanding the drivers of household fruit and vegetable waste

Abstract

Household food waste is an intractable policy issue because of its multi-faceted nature. Fruit and vegetable waste makes up the largest part of household waste. However, behaviours driving consumer fresh produce waste have been less explored. This study analyses behavioural and socio-demographic factors affecting household fruit and vegetable waste in Australia. It uses a nationally representative sample (n = 1462) that completed a 7-day electronic diary recording the amount of fruit and vegetable waste. The findings indicate that, on average, a household discards 35.2 kg of avoidable fruits and vegetables annually. A higher frequency of grocery shopping and purchases of takeaway is associated with higher waste, whilst higher use of a shopping list is associated with lower waste. Older adults, couples and women are more likely to experience a higher incidence of fruit and vegetable wastage at home. These findings are helpful when developing interventions to reduce the waste of fruits and vegetables in households.