ZAANGAŻOWANIE KONSUMENTÓW W PROCES OGRANICZANIA MARNOTRAWSTWA ŻYWNOŚCI W USŁUGACH GASTRONOMICZNYCH – WYBRANE ASPEKTY

This study aims to identify key areas of consumer involvement in reducing food waste in the food service sector, with particular emphasis on the use of mobile applications. The article presents theoretical considerations alongside a quantitative analysis of the studied issue, based on a survey conducted in April 2024 using the CAWI method among 301 residents of the Podkarpackie region. The empirical section focuses on assessing consumer engagement in food waste reduction at food service establishments through two well-known platforms available on the Polish market: Too Good To Go and Foodsi, which allow users to purchase unsold food at a reduced price at the end of the day. The findings indicate that awareness and utilization of such solutions are moderate among respondents, particularly concerning the Foodsi app. No significant differences were observed in app usage based on gender or age. However, women showed a higher tendency to request their uneaten meals to be packaged when dining out. Overall, only one in four respondents reported always asking for their leftovers to be packed at restaurants. In this context, the authors suggest that social campaigns, along with educational and communication initiatives, should be implemented to encourage both consumers and food service employees to adopt the habit of packaging uneaten meals in food service establishments.