The Relationship Between Moral Values and Food Wasting Behavior Among Consumers at All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between moral values and the behavior of wasting food that is still fit for consumption. Two hypotheses were proposed. Hypothesis I suggests a negative relationship between moral values and the frequency of discarding edible food. Hypothesis II suggests a negative relationship between moral values and the amount of food waste produced. The research instrument used to measure food waste behavior was the Food Waste Behavior Scale (FWBS), which consists of 5 statements. The validity of the scale was tested using three professional judgments, resulting in a Content Validity Ratio (CVR) between 0.6 and 1.0. The reliability of the FWBS is 0.84. The instrument used to measure the amount of food waste produced involved creating a list of food waste categories along with their weights. These categories included carbohydrates, meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and snacks. The responses were categorized into five ranges, from 1 to 4 tablespoons. The instrument used to measure moral judgment was the Moral Judgments of Food Wasting Behavior Scale, consisting of 6 items. The validity of this scale was tested with 38 students enrolled in an Environmental Psychology course. The validity coefficient ranged from 0.316 to 0.618, with a reliability coefficient of 0.738. The study involved 100 all-you-can-eat restaurant customers. Hypothesis testing results showed that for Hypothesis I, rho = -0.281, p = 0.002, and for Hypothesis II, rho = -0.333, p = 0.000. The discussion highlights several limitations of the study.