Urban household food waste reduction intentions in Vietnam explained by the theory of planned behavior and institutional theory

The issue of food waste (FW) has drawn increasing global attention, particularly among urban households in Vietnam. This study explores how institutional and psychological factors influence food waste reduction intentions (FWRI) among urban households in Vietnam. Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and institutional theory (IT), the study examines how perceived information publicity (PIP) and government regulation (GR) affect intention through attitude (AT), subjective norm (SN), and self-efficacy (SE). The data were collected through an online survey administered to 304 households in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that institutional factors increase intentions to reduce FW, with SE identified as the strongest predictor among internal psychological determinants. The impact of SN reflects Vietnam’s collectivist culture, suggesting the value of community-based approaches. This study extends the TPB by integrating institutional elements and provides practical insights for policy and behavioral strategies.