IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jfpoli/v129y2024ics0306919224001787.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do moral constraints and government interventions promote the willingness and behaviors of food saving among urban residents in China? An empirical study based on structural equation model

Author

Listed:
  • Chai, Duo
  • Yu, Shujin
  • Meng, Ting

Abstract

As income rises and the food supply becomes more sufficient, food waste becomes increasingly severe in emerging economies. Promoting food conservation behaviors among residents is crucial; however, there is little evidence of the consumer-related driving factors behind this behavior from both internal and external perspectives. Based on the theory of planned behavior and the structural equation model, this paper examines the impact mechanism of internal moral constraints and external government intervention on the psychology of saving food among Chinese urban residents in one research framework. Survey data combined from random street-stop interviews and an online survey are applied. Results show that moral constraints, as internal factors, still play a crucial role in forming Chinese urban residents’ willingness to save food. The most influencing mechanisms are through impacts on attitude (personal moral cognition) (β = 0.311) and perceived behavioral control (comparison of economic and moral costs and benefits) (β = 0.581). In the meantime, government interventions, as external factors, significantly impact residents’ willingness and behavior to save food. The government’s efforts in guiding food conservation have a direct promoting effect (β = 0.135) on the respondents’ food-saving willingness, while services and support to food conservation from the government directly promote food-saving behaviors (β = 0.068). Also, the number of household generations and respondent age positively impact food saving willingness, while chronic diseases, income, and food consumption expenditure have adverse impacts. Policies encouraging food saving need to conduct from both internal and external intervention. On the one hand, it demands to strengthen residents’ moral constrains by promoting traditional virtues and improving the awareness of global food security challenges, which can increase the benefits of food saving behaviors in terms of moral values. On the other hand, government intervention on guiding and supporting food conservation can effectively increase both willingness and behaviors of food saving.

Suggested Citation

  • Chai, Duo & Yu, Shujin & Meng, Ting, 2024. "Do moral constraints and government interventions promote the willingness and behaviors of food saving among urban residents in China? An empirical study based on structural equation model," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:129:y:2024:i:c:s0306919224001787
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102767
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919224001787
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102767?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thyberg, Krista L. & Tonjes, David J., 2016. "Drivers of food waste and their implications for sustainable policy development," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 110-123.
    2. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    3. Min, Shi & Wang, Xiaobing & Yu, Xiaohua, 2021. "Does dietary knowledge affect household food waste in the developing economy of China?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    4. Habib, Muhammad Danish & Kaur, Puneet & Sharma, Veenu & Talwar, Shalini, 2023. "Analyzing the food waste reduction intentions of UK households. A Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) theory perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    5. Xu, Zhigang & Zhang, Zongli & Liu, Haiyan & Zhong, Funing & Bai, Junfei & Cheng, Shengkui, 2020. "Food-away-from-home plate waste in China: Preference for variety and quantity," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Panpan Zhang & Dan Zhang & Shengkui Cheng, 2020. "The Effect of Consumer Perception on Food Waste Behavior of Urban Households in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-14, July.
    7. Asfaw, Abay, 2008. "Fruits and vegetables availability for human consumption in Latin American and Caribbean countries: Patterns and determinants," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 444-454, October.
    8. Vermeir, Iris & Verbeke, Wim, 2008. "Sustainable food consumption among young adults in Belgium: Theory of planned behaviour and the role of confidence and values," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 542-553, January.
    9. Fengni Gao & Emmanuel Nketiah & Victor Shi, 2024. "Understanding and Enhancing Food Conservation Behaviors and Operations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Russell, Sally V. & Young, C. William & Unsworth, Kerrie L. & Robinson, Cheryl, 2017. "Bringing habits and emotions into food waste behaviour," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 107-114.
    11. Secondi, Luca & Principato, Ludovica & Laureti, Tiziana, 2015. "Household food waste behaviour in EU-27 countries: A multilevel analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 25-40.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Panpan Zhang & Shaopeng Fu & Xiaojie Liu, 2022. "The Effect of Plate and Decoration Color on Consumer Food Waste in Restaurants: A Case of Four Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Long Qian & Feng Li & Xia Zhao & Hongbo Liu & Xiaojie Liu, 2022. "The Association between Religious Beliefs and Food Waste: Evidence from Chinese Rural Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Lingfei Wang & Yuqin Yang & Guoyan Wang, 2022. "The Clean Your Plate Campaign: Resisting Table Food Waste in an Unstable World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Nik Masdek Nik Rozana & Wong Kelly Kai Seng & Mohd Nawi Nolila & Sharifuddin Juwaidah & Wong Wang Li, 2023. "Antecedents of sustainable food waste management behaviour: Empirical evidence from urban households in Malaysia," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 18(1), pages 53-77, March.
    5. Cynthia Castro & Ekaterina Chitikova & Giulia Magnani & Julian Merkle & Maxi Heitmayer, 2023. "Less Is More: Preventing Household Food Waste through an Integrated Mobile Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-18, July.
    6. Mario dos Santos Bulhões & Maria da Conceição Pereira da Fonseca & Darlan Azevedo Pereira & Márcio A. F. Martins, 2023. "Evaluation of Waste in Food Services: A Structural Equation Analysis Using Behavioral and Operational Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-29, May.
    7. Li Jia & Guanghua Qiao, 2022. "Quantification, Environmental Impact, and Behavior Management: A Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Global Food Waste Research Based on CiteSpace," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    8. Johannes Schrank & Aphinya Hanchai & Sahapob Thongsalab & Narakorn Sawaddee & Kirana Chanrattanagorn & Chavis Ketkaew, 2023. "Factors of Food Waste Reduction Underlying the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior: A Study of Consumer Behavior towards the Intention to Reduce Food Waste," Resources, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Y. Feng & C. Marek & J. Tosun, 2022. "Fighting Food Waste by Law: Making Sense of the Chinese Approach," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 457-479, September.
    10. Andreas Falke & Nadine Schröder & Claudia Hofmann, 2022. "The influence of values in sustainable consumption among millennials," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 92(6), pages 899-928, August.
    11. Farida Saleem & Ahmad Adeel & Rizwan Ali & Shabir Hyder, 2018. "Intentions to adopt ecopreneurship: moderating role of collectivism and altruism," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 6(2), pages 517-537, December.
    12. Hsu, Chia-Lin & Chang, Chi-Ya & Yansritakul, Chutinart, 2017. "Exploring purchase intention of green skincare products using the theory of planned behavior: Testing the moderating effects of country of origin and price sensitivity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 145-152.
    13. Dang Vu, Hoai Nam & Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt, 2022. "Understanding determinants of the intention to buy rhino horn in Vietnam through the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    14. Wei Zheng & Hongliang Qiu & Alastair M. Morrison & Wei Wei & Xihua Zhang, 2022. "Landscape and Unique Fascination: A Dual-Case Study on the Antecedents of Tourist Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intentions," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-20, March.
    15. Danilo Bertoni & Daniele Cavicchioli & Franco Donzelli & Giovanni Ferrazzi & Dario G. Frisio & Roberto Pretolani & Elena Claire Ricci & Vera Ventura, 2018. "Recent Contributions of Agricultural Economics Research in the Field of Sustainable Development," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    16. Francesco La Barbera & Mario Amato & Roberta Riverso & Fabio Verneau, 2022. "Social Emotions and Good Provider Norms in Tackling Household Food Waste: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-12, August.
    17. Jana Hojnik & Mitja Ruzzier & Tatiana S. Manolova, 2020. "Sustainable development: Predictors of green consumerism in Slovenia," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1695-1708, July.
    18. Marek Zborowski & Anna Mikulec, 2022. "Dietary Catering: The Perfect Solution for Rational Food Management in Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-10, July.
    19. Liobikienė, Genovaitė & Mandravickaitė, Justina & Bernatonienė, Jurga, 2016. "Theory of planned behavior approach to understand the green purchasing behavior in the EU: A cross-cultural study," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 38-46.
    20. Ragna Nilssen & Geoff Bick & Russell Abratt, 2019. "Comparing the relative importance of sustainability as a consumer purchase criterion of food and clothing in the retail sector," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(1), pages 71-83, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:129:y:2024:i:c:s0306919224001787. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.