Trying to decrease food-wasting behavior with combined theory plan behavior, value belief norm, and norm activation model: A behavioral approach for sustainable development

Food-wasting behavior is interpreted as food that remains consumable but is discarded or damaged by consumers, ultimately ending up in the trash. Food waste is recognized as a global problem, including in Makassar City, Indonesia, a developing country. This study was aimed at developing a more comprehensive model to reduce food-wasting behavior by combining three behavioral models: the theory of planned behavior, the value-belief norm, and the norm activation model. The study was conducted in Makassar City, Indonesia, with data collected from 1,715 respondents, comprising 831 adolescents and 884 adults. Data were collected using a measurement scale in the form of a Likert scale, and data analysis was conducted using PLS-SEM. The results showed that, first, all hypotheses were supported in both the adolescent and adult groups, except for perceived behavioral control, which did not directly affect intention. Therefore, the combined model proposed in this study can be used to explain food-wasting behavior. Second, high individual intention was found to decrease food-wasting behavior in the adolescent group but not in the adult group. Third, in both groups, intention did not mediate the effects of perceived behavioral control and subjective norms on reducing food-wasting behavior, whereas personal norms did. Fourth, ecological worldview, awareness of consequences, the ascription of responsibility, and personal norms were found to mediate the relationship between values and food-wasting behavior. However, when intention was included as a mediator, values could not reduce food-wasting behavior. Fifth, personal norms were shown to be more effective mediators in reducing food-wasting behavior than intention. Sixth, with the exception of the effects of perceived behavioral control on food-wasting behavior, subjective norms, and the ascription of responsibility on personal norms, no significant differences were found between the adolescent and adult groups regarding the model's influence.