The double-edged sword of foodstagramming: an ABC model approach to tourist food waste and the sustainability attitude–behavior gap

Purpose This study explores the double-edged influence of foodstagramming, which means photographing and sharing food on social media, on foodstagrammers' food consumption behavior. While foodstagramming is known for promoting food experiences, limited attention has been given to its simultaneous promotion of both sustainable and unsustainable food consumption behavior. This research also investigates how these contradictory effects contribute to the sustainability attitude–behavior gap in food consumption settings. Design/methodology/approach Based on the activating event–belief–consequence (ABC) model, this study conceptualizes foodstagramming behavior as a stimulus that activates positive and negative attitudes, which in turn influence food consumption behaviors. A survey of 508 foodstagrammers at Universal Studios Beijing, a highly visual and food-intensive theme park, was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze relationships between foodstagramming, sustainability attitudes, food consumption behaviors, satisfaction and revisit intentions. Findings The results reveal that foodstagramming activates both positive and negative sustainability food consumption attitudes, leading to different food consumption behaviors. Particularly, even foodstagrammers with negative sustainability food consumption attitudes exhibited responsible consumption behaviors, challenging the conventional understanding of the attitude–behavior gap. Originality/value This study extends the ABC model to a digital food tourism context, offering new insights into the paradoxical effects of social media on food consumption behaviors. The findings provide both theoretical and practical implications for reducing food waste in visually driven consumer environments.