Space to waste: the influence of income and retail choice on household food consumption and food waste in Indonesia

ABSTRACT This paper draws on the result of surveys completed by 323 households and a qualitative study of 21 households from upper (n = 7), middle (n = 7) and lower income (n = 7) households in Indonesia. This article employs practice theory to better understand the role of planning and infrastructure in food provisioning and food wasting practices. Results from this study indicate that there is a positive and statistically significant association between the self-reported amount of household food waste and income (X 2 = 27.30, p < 0.001). The study also found a statistically significant association between amount of food waste generated and certain types of retail (p < 0.000), with 75.9% of respondents who self-reported that they waste a ‘significant amount’ of food, shopping at supermarkets. In the Indonesian context, it is important to note that the choice or ability to access certain types of retail is income-related. Accordingly, food waste reduction interventions should consider the role of retail and income.