Human behavioral drivers of household food waste: Empirical evidence from Pakistan

This study aimed to analyze human behavioral drivers of household food waste. To obtain the study objective, data were collected from 379 respondents (18 years and above) in four Town Councils of District Peshawar using a multistage stratified random sampling technique. A forward stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to identify key predictors of household food waste, measured as the weekly monetary value of food waste. The model was statistically significant ( p < 0.05) and explained 88.4% of the variation in weekly household food waste ( R 2 = 0.884). The model-based estimations show that awareness of the weekly monetary value of food waste was associated with a reduction of weekly household food waste by PKR 453, followed by having better knowledge of food storage by PKR 260, improved handling of leftovers by PKR 165, using better planning and organizing activities to prevent weekly household food waste by PKR 128, lower socioeconomic status, stigmatized food waste, and Joint family system were associated with a reduction of PKR 63, PKR 49.9, and PKR 35.8, respectively. The study recommended socio-psychological induction of human affection to reduce food waste through appropriate socialization of children and their involvement in meal planning, community mobilization for collective efforts, and balanced use of social stigma to control household food waste.