Tackling consumer food waste REFRESH Community of Experts webinar series www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 REFRESH is funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union under Grant Agreement no. 641933. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of REFRESH and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union
Background REFRESH: • EU research project taking action against food waste • Actively promotes collaboration in tackling food waste REFRESH Community of Experts (CoE) is virtual platform to: • Share knowledge and best practice • Enable replication • Host tools and resources • Promote cross-sector collaboration www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Background www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Background www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
The webinar series REFRESH CoE running webinar series, 9 April – 2 May 2019. Adding value to food waste and by- 9 April 2019 – 2 pm BST (3 pm CEST) products Voluntary agreements to address food 10 April 2019 – 2 pm BST (3 pm waste CEST) Tackling consumer food waste 29 April 2019 – 2 pm BST (3 pm CEST) Measuring and managing retail food 2 May 2019 – 2pm BST (3 pm CEST) waste To register or view recordings please visit: www.refreshcoe.eu/refresh-webinar-series www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Our speakers today Tom Quested, Jenny Carr, Stephanie Dr Erica Van Research Wunder, Citizen Campaigns Herpen, Analyst, WRAP Project Manager Coordinator Food Associate Global Systems, at WRAP Professor, Ecologic Institute Wageningen University www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Agenda 1. Introduction and overview (Erica): including drivers for household food waste and the contribution of household practices 2. Policy overview (Stephanie): including how consumer food waste can be influenced by policy makers and different categories of policy interventions 3. Measurement and evaluation (Tom) : including approaches for measurement and examples of success 4. Questions 5. Close www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Asking questions • Please ask questions! • Use the question box near the bottom of your control panel • We will try and answer as many as we can at the end of the webinar • CoE can also be used to ask questions and share knowledge www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Dr Erica Van Herpen, Associate Professor, Wageningen University Introduction to household food waste www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Why do people waste food? “We live in a throwaway society” The “excessive, wanton nature of contemporary consumerism” is seen as evidence (Evans, 2012) Or do we? 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Wasting is not careless or carefree Consumers... attempt to lessen anxieties about discarding food (Evans, 2012) describe themselves as worrying and feeling guilty about wasting (Quested et al., 2013; Abeliotis et al., 2014) favor options with less waste (Bolton & Alba, 2012) even forgo free food or drink in ‘any size same price’ promotions (Moore & Taylor, 2010) 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Research in REFRESH Focus groups, 4 countries (NL, Hungary, Germany, Spain) 6 per country, n = 147 Survey in the same 4 countries 3354 households REFRESH measure of HH food waste 5/2/2019 https://eu-refresh.org/national-qualitative-insight-household-catering-food-waste www.eu-refresh.org http://eu-refresh.org/quantified-consumer-insights-food-waste
Wasting is not carefree for consumers “Every time I throw something in the trash, I feel like I'm throwing away a 5 EURO note.” “Doesn't hurt my pocket. It hurts my soul.” “Wasting is not acceptable to me at all. But if it happens from time to time then it happens.” 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Waste as collateral damage 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Waste prevention is not the main goal Thus... Target household practices surrounding food Integrated with other goals 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Social marketing approach Opportunity Motivation Ability Household practices Household food waste 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org https://eu-refresh.org/causes-determinants-consumers-food-waste
Motivation What affects food waste? Notion that others waste a lot Less negative feelings about wasting Important to have sufficient food Important to have tasty food Less importance attached to price But NOT: Awareness of consequences Opinion of others Important to have healthy food 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Ability What affects food waste? Lower perceived skills to: Plan accurately Cook creatively Prolong the shelf-life of products 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Opportunity What affects food waste? Perception of: Unforeseen events Less supply in store (quality and quantity) But NOT perception of: Accessibility of stores Availability of equipment in the home 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
How to help consumers? Within REFRESH we examined: ICT tools / apps On-pack information 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Apps... Many apps with limited uptake Planning and recipe apps most popular Consumers are open and interested But do not perceive a clear need Investment (in time, energy, stamina) seen as higher than benefits 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org https://eu-refresh.org/ict-tools-food-management-and-waste-prevention-consumer-level
On-pack information... More than date labels Storage information / freezer guidance Storage advice useful when current behaviour is suboptimal Instructional message style 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org https://eu-refresh.org/effects-pack-storage-and-consumption-guidance-consumer-food-waste-behaviours
Changing household practices… Changing the social norm and the consumer mindset 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Thanks! E-mail: Erica.vanHerpen@wur.nl Blog: http://www.marketingandconsumerbehaviour.nl/ @MCB_WU REFRESH: www.eu-refresh.org 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Stephanie Wunder, Coordinator Food Systems at Ecologic Institute Policies against consumer food waste www.refreshcoe.eu 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Categories of policy instruments to influence consumer food waste 1. Information 2. Regulation 3. Economic instruments 4. Nudging /change of consumer’s choice architecture and 5. Voluntary agreements 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Suitability of instruments Hardly any knowledge about the effectiveness of policy instruments No clear picture about effectiveness: Due to a lack of monitoring the effectiveness of tools is hardly known 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
1. Information All attempts by public policy makers to influence people through the transfer of knowledge, education and counselling 1. Information and awareness raising campaigns 2. Social norm campaigns 3. Education/skill training 4. Prompts 5. Feedback 6. Committment (Crosscutting: Apps and ICT tools) 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Information 1. Information and awareness raising campaigns Widely used instrument Wide varieties of campaigns Impacts hardly studied To improve: Positive messages : messages that blame con- sumers for waste tend to have backfiring effects Address abilities (rather then awareness) Impact of different narratives ? stronger drivers for action like social justice & health? 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Information 2. Social norm campaigns → exploit tendency of individuals to conform to majority REFRESH survey showed, that what others do (descriptive social norms) have big influence How to do this? Modelling (observational learning/imitation) – example: waiter proactively offering doggy bag Demonstrate desired behaviour in video Comparative feedback about recycling behaviours Work with existing social influencers Impact of contests ? (emphasize positive behaviour of others) Impact of laws/regulation (e.g. french ban)? 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Information 3. Education/skill training Improve abilities, e.g. in schools (planning, storing, cooking precicely…) 4. Prompts Verbal or written messages that remind people (e.g. buffet: „come back as often as you want“), on pack: „Store me in the fridge“ 5. Feedback Information about frequency of waste or consequences (e.g. printed sheet on FW amounts per household) 6. Committment → pledge to change behaviour (works best if given in 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org public/oosted online)
Regulation – potential areas On pack information, e.g. date marking Requirements for packaging Requirements consumer education (e.g. school curricula) prohibition for certain practices Influencing consumer behaviour through regulation targeted towards other actors Prohibition for supermarkets to waste edible food Requirements within public procurement regulation Regulation about waste collection and recycling 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Economic instruments Price of Food (include external costs) Fees and taxes Waste collection: Pay-as-you throw schemes? 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
Nudging → modification of choice architecture Examples within public procurement: plate size, availabilities of trays placing surplus food products in more visible and salient places 5/2/2019 www.eu-refresh.org
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