The Role of Consumption Ethics, Knowledge, and Understanding of Young Consumers in Their Responsible Behavior Toward Food Waste and the Environment

نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

1 Department of Business Administration, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

10.30473/ee.2025.69653.2687

چکیده

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed significant vulnerabilities in production and consumption systems. Its economic and social consequences have underscored the urgent need for more sustainable approaches to food production and consumption. Since young consumers are often described as innovators and environmentalists, the present research aims to identify the influence of consumption ethics, knowledge, and understanding among young people on their responsible behavior toward food waste in the environment. The statistical population consists of young people aged 18 to 35 in Tehran. The sample size was calculated using Cochran's formula, resulting in 400 participants, and a multi-stage cluster sampling method was employed. The results of hypothesis testing show a positive role for awareness of food waste in encouraging responsible behavior among young people, as well as in shaping their food waste ethics. Additionally, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on food purchasing by young people has a positive influence on their responsible behavior and their understanding of the environmental impact of food waste. The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has led more people to adopt food waste reduction behaviors, and that awareness of the ethics and environmental consequences of food waste has increased among young people.

کلیدواژه‌ها

موضوعات

عنوان مقاله [English]

The Role of Consumption Ethics, Knowledge, and Understanding of Young Consumers in Their Responsible Behavior Toward Food Waste and the Environment

نویسندگان [English]

  • Ebrahim Zarepour Nasirabadi 1
  • Seyyed Mehdi Rezayi 2
  • Maryam Behzadi 3
1 Department of Business Administration, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
چکیده [English]

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed significant vulnerabilities in production and consumption systems. Its economic and social consequences have underscored the urgent need for more sustainable approaches to food production and consumption. Since young consumers are often described as innovators and environmentalists, the present research aims to identify the influence of consumption ethics, knowledge, and understanding among young people on their responsible behavior toward food waste in the environment. The statistical population consists of young people aged 18 to 35 in Tehran. The sample size was calculated using Cochran's formula, resulting in 400 participants, and a multi-stage cluster sampling method was employed. The results of hypothesis testing show a positive role for awareness of food waste in encouraging responsible behavior among young people, as well as in shaping their food waste ethics. Additionally, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on food purchasing by young people has a positive influence on their responsible behavior and their understanding of the environmental impact of food waste. The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has led more people to adopt food waste reduction behaviors, and that awareness of the ethics and environmental consequences of food waste has increased among young people.

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

  • Consumption ethics
  • consumption knowledge
  • environment
  • food waste
  • responsible behavior

مراجع

Abiad, M.G., Meho, L.I., )2018(. “Food loss and food waste research in the Arab world: a systematic review”. Food security 10 (2), 311e322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-018-0782-7
Annunziata, A., Agovino, M., Ferraro, A., Mariani, A., )2020(. “Household food waste: a case study in southern Italy”. Sustainability 12 (4), 1495. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041495
Aydin, A. E., & Yildirim, P. (2021).“Understanding food waste behavior: The role of morals, habits and knowledge”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 280, 124250.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124250
Barr, S., )2007(. “Factors influencing environmental attitudes and behaviours: a UK case study of household waste management”. Environ. Behav. 39 (4), 435e473. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916505283421
Batlle-Bayer, Laura, et al. “Environmental and nutritional impacts of dietary changes in Spain during the COVID-19 lockdown”. Science of the Total Environment 748 (2020): 141410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141410
Bio Intelligence Service, )2010(. “Preparatory Study on Food Waste across EU 27”. Paris, France. European Commission, Directorate C, Industry. https://ec.europa.eu/ environment/eussd/pdf/bio_foodwaste_report.pdf
Borsellino, V., Kaliji, S. A., & Schimmenti, E. (2020). “COVID-19 Drives Consumer Behaviour and Agro-Food Markets towards Healthier and More Sustainable Patterns”. Sustainability, 12(20), 8366. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208366
Bravi, L., Francioni, B., Murmura, F., Savelli, E., )2020(. “Factors affecting household food waste among young consumers and actions to prevent it”. A comparison amongUK,Spain and Italy. Resour. Conserv. Recycl.153,104586. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104586.
Bravi, L., Murmura, F., Savelli, E., Vigano, E., )2019(. “Motivations and actions to prevent food waste among young Italian consumers”. Sustainability 11 (4), 1110. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su11041110.
Burlea-Schiopoiu, A., Ogarca, R. F., Barbu, C. M., Craciun, L., Baloi, I. C., & Mihai, L. S. (2021). “The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food waste behaviour of young people”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 294, 126333.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126333
Buzby, J.C., Hyman, J., )2012(. “Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States”. Food Pol. 37 (5), 561e570.  https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2012.06.002
Centrul Național de Evaluare și Promovare a Starii de Sanatate (Cnepss), )2019(. Analiza de situa ție. https://insp.gov.ro/sites/cnepss/wp-content/uploads/2019/ 10/Analiza-de-situatie-2019.pdf.
European Commission, )2020(. “A Farm To Fork Strategy For a Fair, Healthy Environmentally-Friendly Food System; Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament. the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions”, Brussels, 20.5.2020. https://www.ifa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/communication-annex-farm-fork-green-deal_en.pdf
Fao, Ifad, Wfp, )2014(. “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2014. Strengthening the Enabling Environment for Food Security and Nutrition”. FAO, Rome. https://www.fao.org/4/i0430e/i0430e04.pdf
Graham-Rowe, E., Jessop, D.C., Sparks, P., )2014(. “Identifying motivations and barriers to minimizing household food waste. Resour”. Conserv. Recycle. 84, 15e23. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/ 10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.12.005
Grainger, MJ; Aramyan, L; Logatcheva, K; Piras, S; Righi, S; Setti, M; Vittuari, M; (2018) “The use of systems models to identify food waste drivers”. Global Food Security , 16 pp. 1-8. 10.1016/j.gfs.2017.12.005. 
Hebrok, M., Boks, C., (2017). “Household food waste: drivers and potential intervention points for designeAn extensive review”. J. Clean. Prod. 151, 380e392. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/ 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.069
Lehtokunnas, T., Mattila, M., Närvänen, E., & Mesiranta, N. (2020). “Towards a circular economy in food consumption: Food waste reduction practices as ethical work”. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER CULTURE, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540520926252
Lusk, J.L., Ellison, B., )2020(. “Economics of household food waste”. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d’agroeconomie. https:// doi.org/10.1111/cjag.12256
Mondejar-Jim  enez, J.A., Ferrari, G., Secondi, L., Principato, L., (2016). “From the table to waste: an exploratory study on behavior towards food waste of Spanish and Italian youths”. J. Clean. Prod. 138, 8e18.  https:// doi.org/ 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.018
Miles, A., )2020(. “If we get food right, we get everything right: rethinking the food system in post-COVID-19” Hawai’I. . http://hdl.handle.net/10790/5248
Nikolaus, J.C., Nickols-Richardson, M.S., Ellison, B.,)2018(. “Wasted food: a qualitative study of U.S. young adults’ perceptions, beliefs and behaviors”. Appetite 130 (1), 70e78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.07.026.
Parfitt, J.P., Barthel, M., Macnaughton, S.,)2010(. “Food waste within food supply chains: quantification and potential for change to 2050”. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Biological Sciences 365, 3065e3081. https:// doi.org/ 10.1098/rstb.2010.0126
Porpino, G., Wansink, B., Parente, J.,)2016(. “Wasted positive intentions: the role of affection and abundance on household food waste”. J. Food Prod. Market. 22 (7), 733e751. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10454446.2015.1121433.
Pourdehnad, J., Starr, L. M., Koerwer, V. S., & McCloskey, H. (2020). “Disruptive effects of the coronavirus–errors of commission and of omission?”. https://www.academia.edu/98843984/Disruptive_Effects_of_the_Coronavirus_Errors_of_Commission_and_of_Omission
Principato, L., Secondi, L., & Pratesi, C. A. (2015). “Reducing food waste: an investigation on the behaviour of Italian youths”. British Food Journal, 117(2), 731-748. https:// doi.org/ 10.1108/BFJ-10-2013-0314
Quested, T.E., Marsh, E., Stunell, D., Parry, A.D.,)2013(. “Spaghetti soup: the complex world of food waste behaviours. Resour”. Conserv. Recycle. 79, 43e51.  https:// doi.org/ 10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.04.011
Sarkar, P., Debnath, N., Reang, D.,)2020(. “Coupled human-environment system amid COVID-19 crisis: a conceptual model to understand the nexus”. Sci. Total Environ. 753, 141757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141757
Stancu, Violeta, Pernille Haugaard, and Liisa Lähteenmäki. “Determinants of consumer food waste behaviour: Two routes to food waste”. Appetite 96 (2016): 7-17.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.08.025
Stefan, V., van Herpen, E., Tudoran, A.A., L€ ahteenm€ aki, L.,)2013(. “Avoiding food waste by Romanian consumers: the importance of planning and shopping routines”. Food Qual. Prefer. 28 (No. 1), 375e381.. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.foodqual.2012.11.001.
Visschers, V.H.M., Wickli, N., Siegrist, M.,)2016(. “Sorting out food waste behaviour: a survey on the motivators and barriers of self-reported amounts of food waste in households”. J. Environ. Psychol. 45, 66e78. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.jenvp.2015.11.007.
Wakefield, A., Axon, S.,)2020(. “I’m a bit of a waster: identifying the enablers of, and barriers to, sustainable food waste practices”. J. Clean. Prod. 275 (1), 122803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122803
World Health Organization (WHO),)2023(. “COVID-19 weekly epidemiological up date”. . https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological update—3-november-2020.
Zepeda, L., Balaine, L.,)2017(. “Consumers’ perceptions of food waste: a pilot study of U.S. students”. Int. J. Consum. Stud. 41 (6), 627e637  https:// doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12376
Abbaszadeh, M. (2016). “Study of Intervening Effect of Environmental Responsible Attitude on the Relationship of between Place Attachment and Environmental Responsible Behavior”. Journal of Applied Sociology, 27(2), 61-80. https://doi.org/ 10.22108/jas.2016.20491(In Persian)
Eskandari sani, M., Esmailnejad, M., & Rezaei, E. (2021). “An analysis of the culture and responsible environmental behaviors of Birjand citizens”. Human & Environment, 19(1), 161-173. https://doi.org/ 10.22055/qjsd.2023.39325.2559 (In Persian)
kalantari E, Zarei M, Abdolahi F. (2023). “Negative Consequences Affecting the Lifestyle of Students During Covid-19 Pandemic”. refahj. 22(87), 321-355. https://doi.org/10.32598/refahj.22.87.4082.1 (In Persian)
Golbaz, M., rezvanfar, A., Movahed Mohammadi, S. H., & Rezaei, A. R. (2022). “The Study of the Environmental education on environmentally responsible behavior of agricultural students (Case study: Students of Agriculture and Natural Resources Campus, University of Tehran)”. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research https://doi.org/ 10.22059/ijaedr.2022.336103.669112 (In Persian)
Pourjamshidi, H., Mehdizadeh, H., & Motamedinia, Z. (2021). “Investigating the factors affecting the consumption of green products among the citizens of Khorramabad with the technique (SEM)”. Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 22(12), 147-161. https://doi.org/ 10.22034/jest.2021.25997.3493 \ (In Persian)
Moradi, S. (2017). “Investigating students’ Environmental Knowledge, Attitude and Responsible Behavior (Case study: Students of Payame Noor University)”. Human & Environment, 15(4), 87-98. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Article/848457?FullText=FullText (In Persian)
Rahmanpour, S., & Ramezani, M. E. (2019). “Investigating the Role of Environmental Education of Local Communities on Environmental Performance of Citizens of District 5 of Tabriz Municipality”. Sociological studies, 11(41), 151-169. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Article/957933?FullText=FullText (In Persian)
Rezazadeh, Arash and Davari, Ali (2013). “Structural Equation Modeling with PLS Software”. Tehran: ISBA Pub.
Salehi, S., & Ghaemi asl, Z. (2013). “The Relationship between Environmental Education and Environmental Protection Behaviors (Case Study: High School Girls in Babol City)”. Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 1(3), 67-79. dor: 20.1001.1.23223057.1392.1.3.7.2  (In Persian)
Zarepour Nasirabadi, E. , Seyedin, S. M. and Behzadi, M. (2024). Investigating The Effect Of Awareness Of Consequences And Ascribed Responsibility On The Civilized Behavioral Intentions Of Beach Tourists. Journal of Tourism and Development, 13(1), 149-160. doi: 10.22034/jtd.2023.406985.2797
فصلنامه علمی آموزش محیط زیست و توسعه پایدار
دوره 13، شماره 4
1404
صفحه 7-20

فایل ها

هم رسانی

ارجاع به این مقاله

آمار