Household food waste and Its relationship with consumer demographics and behaviour: A case study from Kegalle district, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Household-level food waste presents a growing concern worldwide, contributing substantially to environmental degradation and economic losses. This study aimed to investigate the amount of household food waste generated and examine its relationship with consumer demographic characteristics and behavioural patterns. A total of 75 volunteer households from the Alpitiya Grama Niladhari Division in the Kegalle District, Sri Lanka, were assessed to explore the relationships between food waste generation, socio-economic factors, and consumer behaviour. Data on consumer demographics and behaviour were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to individuals primarily responsible for food preparation and shopping within the selected households. Food waste generated in each household was quantified for three consecutive days at 24-hour intervals. Data analysis revealed that the mean avoidable food waste and unavoidable food waste generated within one household per day were 262.5 ± 207.0 g (mean ± SD) and 368.7 ± 141.7 g, respectively. Therefore, the total food wastage per household per day was 631.2 ± 286.4 g. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the amount of household food waste generation significantly differed (p < .05) based on several demographic factors: participants’ age, number of family members, and income level. With respect to consumer behaviour, household waste generation was significantly impacted by the preparation of a shopping list (p < .05). Finally, this study recommends making a food shopping list before shopping as an effective way to reduce total household food waste generation.