Theory application in food waste behaviour programs: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT Food waste is a significant environmental, economic, and social issue contributing to global warming. The benefits of theoretically informed programs have been verified in psychology, social science, and education, yet our understanding of theory application in food waste behaviour change is scarce. To understand how food waste can be reduced, we need to understand what works, when, where and why. Assessing the extent of theory use in the context of food waste behaviour is needed to advance progress. Following the approach employed in Willmott et al. (2019) this study sought to assess the extent of theory application in studies aiming to reduce household food waste. A systematic search and review of published studies concerning household food waste behaviour was conducted. Of 3,532 studies, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight studies mentioned a theory, however, the association between program strategies implemented and the theory base reported was lacking. This review concludes there is considerable room for improvement in theory reporting to indicate clearly how theory is applied to reduce household food waste behaviour.